Steelers Bring Back Versatile Playmaker John Rhys Plumlee to Practice Squad
The Pittsburgh Steelers are welcoming back a familiar face to their practice squad, re-signing wide receiver and former quarterback John Rhys Plumlee. While the move briefly showed up as a release earlier in the week, it turns out it was just a procedural transaction - Plumlee never really left the building.
Plumlee, 24, has had one of the more unconventional paths in recent memory. Originally signed by Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 NFL Draft, he entered the league as a quarterback but quickly became a utility project.
During training camp and preseason, the Steelers tested him all over the field - quarterback, wide receiver, kick returner, punt returner. He didn’t stick on the 53-man roster at the time, but his raw athleticism and willingness to adapt clearly left an impression.
Since then, Plumlee has taken the long road through the NFL’s developmental circuit. He’s spent time with both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Seattle Seahawks, with Seattle giving him a real opportunity to transition fully from quarterback to wide receiver. That switch wasn’t exactly planned - at least not by Plumlee.
“Go to Seattle, and I go to work out and I throw,” Plumlee recalled. “Kind of unknowingly after the workout, they come and ask me what size gloves I wear.
They said, ‘Congrats, you made the team but you’re in the receiver room.’ So I was like, ‘Alright sweet, I got a job.’”
That surprise position change didn’t faze him. Instead, he leaned into the challenge, learning from veterans like DK Metcalf and working to hone his route running, timing, and hands.
But the NFL is a tough business. Plumlee was waived by the Seahawks on August 26 with an injury designation during final roster cuts.
The Steelers brought him back into the fold on October 29, adding him to their practice squad. He was waived again on November 4, only to be re-signed on November 18. Now, he’s back once more - a testament to the team’s belief in his long-term potential and versatility.
Plumlee’s athletic background is as diverse as his football journey. At Ole Miss, he was a two-sport athlete, playing quarterback and wide receiver for the Rebels while also roaming center field for the baseball team. He later transferred to UCF, where he returned to quarterback and started two seasons under Gus Malzahn.
That kind of athletic résumé is rare, even in a league filled with elite talent. And for a team like the Steelers, who value versatility and depth - especially on the practice squad - Plumlee is the kind of player worth keeping tabs on. Whether he eventually carves out a role as a gadget player, a return specialist, or a developmental wideout, his adaptability gives Pittsburgh options.
For now, he’s back in the black and gold, grinding on the practice field and continuing to evolve. And if his journey so far is any indication, John Rhys Plumlee isn’t done surprising people just yet.