The Pittsburgh Steelers are bringing back a familiar face in the secondary, signing cornerback D’Shawn Jamison to a reserve/future contract. It’s a move that keeps the young defensive back in the fold after spending the entire 2025 season with the team, mostly on the practice squad.
Jamison’s name may not be front and center on the depth chart, but he carved out a role as a reliable special teams contributor late in the year. He was elevated from the practice squad for four games, including Pittsburgh’s Wild Card playoff loss to the Houston Texans. During those call-ups, he saw action covering both kicks and punts, and even logged a 20-yard kick return of his own-small moments, but the kind that matter when you’re fighting for a roster spot.
His preseason performance also turned heads. Jamison recorded eight tackles, a quarterback hit, and a forced fumble-exactly the kind of high-energy, high-effort play that coaches love to see from fringe roster players. While it wasn’t enough to crack the 53-man roster coming out of camp, the Steelers clearly saw enough to keep him close, signing him to the practice squad shortly after final cuts.
This isn’t Jamison’s first reserve/future deal with Pittsburgh either. He signed one at the end of the 2024 season as well, signaling the team’s continued interest in his development. It’s no secret that Mike Tomlin values versatility and special teams prowess, and Jamison checks both of those boxes.
Before landing in Pittsburgh, Jamison’s journey took him through a couple of NFL locker rooms. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the San Francisco 49ers following the 2023 NFL Draft, then spent time with the Carolina Panthers. As a rookie in Carolina, he played in 15 games and even started two-valuable experience for a young corner still trying to find his footing in the league.
Jamison’s football roots run deep in Texas. A Houston native, he came out of high school as a top-150 national recruit, eventually committing to the Texas Longhorns.
His college career was nothing short of steady and productive-60 games played, six interceptions, 17 passes defended, three total fumbles impacted (two recovered, one forced), and a major role in the return game. In fact, his 1,435 career kick return yards rank fourth in Texas history, a testament to his speed, vision, and open-field instincts.
For now, Jamison remains a developmental piece for Pittsburgh, but he’s shown enough flashes-on special teams, in preseason action, and during his brief NFL stints-to warrant another shot. Reserve/future contracts might not make headlines, but they’re how rosters are built from the bottom up. And for a team like the Steelers, who pride themselves on finding value in overlooked players, Jamison’s story is far from finished.