The Steelers are bringing back two familiar names to the practice squad, adding wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins and cornerback Darius Rush while safety Bishop Fitzgerald was claimed by the Detroit Lions.
Hodgins is back in Pittsburgh after a previous stint with the organization last year, when the Giants signed him away from the Steelers’ practice squad. Now the Steelers have gotten him back after New York moved on. The 6-foot-4 receiver gives them a big target with experience both outside and in the slot.
A sixth-round pick from Oregon State by the Buffalo Bills, Hodgins has 70 receptions for 749 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in his career. He spent his first three NFL seasons with Buffalo before being cut in the middle of 2022, when the Giants claimed him off waivers.
He then spent the next three years with the Giants until his rookie contract expired. His football background runs deep, too - his father, James, played fullback, and his brother played defensive line at Oregon State.
Rush also returns to a familiar place. He was with the Steelers throughout the 2024 season and even spent time on the active roster during his rookie year. Before that, he had been with the Washington Commanders for most of the last few seasons.
A 2023 fourth-round pick out of South Carolina by the Indianapolis Colts, Rush was cut by Indianapolis during training camp. The Chiefs claimed him off waivers, and the Steelers later signed him weeks after that in 2023.
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