Getty
Former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback and nickel specialist Beanie Bishop turned up in the news again in Week 14, signing with the New Orleans Saints practice squad.
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported the news, as the promising ex-fan favorite found a new home after his unexpected release last month.
The Steelers chose to move on from Bishop on November 3 after bringing in both veteran and rookie competition this summer. And his entire fall from grace didn’t make a whole lot of sense.
Steelers Were Dead Set on Replacing Beanie Bishop in 2025, Ends Up With Saints
GettyWhy did the Pittsburgh Steelers seem adamant about moving on from nickel CB Beanie Bishop Jr. in 2025?
As an undrafted rookie, Bishop appeared in all 17 games for head coach Mike Tomlin, starting 6 of them. He racked up 4 interceptions over that span of games, and was also credited with 7 pass breakups, 2 tackles for a loss, and 1 fumble recovery.
Heading into the 2025 mandatory minicamp, Bishop looked like the unquestioned starting nickel in Pittsburgh, although he did face competition from seventh-round draft pick Donte Kent. Then, the Steelers acquired Jalen Ramsey, and Bishop’s entire offseason was flipped upside down.
Later, after it became clear that newcomer Brandin Echols and special teams ace James Pierre would make the roster over Bishop — not to mention two veterans who were eventually released in Darius Slay and Juan Thornhill — the former UDFA signed to the practice squad. But he was never elevated by Tomlin, seemingly relegated to the depths of the organization.
In November, after the Steelers cut ties with the once-promising rookie, Tomlin refused to address the matter during his weekly press conference.
“I’m not getting into practice squad decisions,” the Steelers HC said at the time. “That’s just too far down the totem pole.”
Needless to say, Bishop’s departure is both frustrating and head-scratching at the same time. If he makes an impact with the Saints or anywhere else, Steelers fans will always wonder why Tomlin seemed dead set on replacing him in 2025.
Especially when Slay and Thornhill didn’t even last one full season in Pittsburgh.
News of Donte Kent’s Steelers Return Surfaces in Week 14
In other news, Kent could finally make his Steelers debut in the coming weeks. The aforementioned seventh-round pick has spent his entire rookie campaign on the injured reserve after suffering a serious foot injury this summer.
On December 3, ESPN beat reporter Brooke Pryor relayed the following: “[The] Steelers have signed LB Kana’i Mauga to PS. And they designated rookie CB Donte Kent to return, opening his practice window. He’s been on IR all season.”
Some believed Kent was no lock to make the 53-man roster before his injury, so it’ll be interesting to see if Tomlin gives him any usage this late in the year.
First things first, Kent will have 21 days to be activated from IR. If the Steelers elect not to activate him at the end of those 21 days, he’ll be transferred to the season-ending IR.
On the flip side, if they do activate him, they’ll have to clear another spot on the active roster. And those are hard to come by in the midst of a playoff race.
Kent will have to prove he’s worth a spot on the 53 over these 21 days of practice and ramp-up. Otherwise, his Steelers debut will likely be pushed to 2026.
Michael Obermuller covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus include the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, with expert knowledge on each based on years of coverage. Michael is an NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate. More about Michael Obermuller
More Heavy on Steelers
Loading more stories
