The Pittsburgh Steelers are giving John Rhys Plumlee another shot - and this time, it’s with a clearer vision of what he brings to the table. The team has signed the versatile athlete to a reserve/future contract for the 2026 season, keeping him in the fold as they continue shaping their offensive depth chart.
Plumlee, now 25, is no stranger to the Steelers’ facility. He originally landed in Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 NFL Draft.
Back then, he was listed as a quarterback - but even in those early days, it was clear the Steelers saw more than just a passer. During training camp and preseason, Plumlee wore a lot of hats: fourth-string quarterback, wide receiver, kick returner, punt returner.
He was a Swiss Army knife trying to carve out a role. Ultimately, he was released before the regular season began.
But Plumlee’s story didn’t end there.
He bounced around the league, spending time with the Jaguars and later the Seahawks. It was in Seattle where his transition from quarterback to wide receiver became official - and a little unconventional.
After a workout where he threw the ball around, the Seahawks staff asked him what size gloves he wore. That’s when he got the news: he had made the team, but not as a QB.
He was moving to the receiver room.
“Alright sweet, I got a job,” Plumlee recalled. “So I’ve been learning.
I’ve been crafting. Learning from a bunch of guys.
DK [Metcalf] helped me early on there.”
That’s no small name to be learning from. Metcalf is one of the league’s most physically dominant receivers, and for a player like Plumlee - athletic, fast, but still raw at the position - that kind of mentorship is invaluable.
Unfortunately, Plumlee’s time in Seattle was cut short. On August 26, 2025, he was waived with an injury designation during final roster cuts. But just two months later, the Steelers circled back, signing him to their practice squad, where he stayed for the remainder of the 2025 season.
Now, with a reserve/future deal in hand, Plumlee has another offseason to build on his development as a wide receiver. And if there’s one thing that defines his football journey, it’s adaptability.
Plumlee’s athletic resume is one of the more unique ones you’ll find. At Ole Miss, he played both football and baseball - quarterback and receiver on the gridiron, center field on the diamond. He later transferred to UCF, where he returned to quarterback full-time and started for two seasons under Gus Malzahn.
That dual-sport, multi-position background isn’t just a fun fact - it’s part of what makes Plumlee such an intriguing project. He’s explosive, he’s smart, and he’s been in high-pressure roles before. The question now is whether he can refine his route-running, polish his hands, and find a niche in a deepening Steelers receiver room.
Plumlee is one of 13 players Pittsburgh signed to reserve/future contracts for 2026, most of whom spent time on the team’s practice squad this past season. That list includes wide receivers Cole Burgess and Max Hurleman, running back Lew Nichols, offensive linemen Steven Jones and Aiden Williams, and defensive tackles Kyler Baugh and Anthony - all players Pittsburgh sees potential in as they head into the offseason.
For Plumlee, the path back to the active roster won’t be easy - but he’s already shown he’s willing to put in the work, learn a new role, and compete. In today’s NFL, versatility is more than a bonus; it’s a necessity. And John Rhys Plumlee is doing everything he can to prove he belongs.