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Steelers Bring Back Familiar Face as WR Options Thin Amid Injuries

The Pittsburgh Steelers are taking another look at a familiar face as they continue to search for depth at wide receiver following a string of injuries. The team reportedly hosted several free agents for workouts ahead of Week 6, including linebackers Otis Reese and Ben Stille, offensive tackle Bayron Matos, and one notable wideout.

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That receiver is Brandon Johnson, a player the Steelers had previously signed during the preseason before releasing him after he suffered an ankle injury in the final exhibition game. Johnson was initially projected to make the team’s practice squad and looked strong in training camp before the injury derailed his progress.

Now fully recovered, Brandon Johnson is trying to earn another shot with the organization that gave him his first NFL opportunity. The 25-year-old recently worked out with the New York Giants before heading to Pittsburgh, showing he’s healthy and ready to compete again.

Johnson spent most of last season on the Steelers’ practice squad, appearing in three regular-season games and catching one pass for nine yards. His prior experience with wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni in Denver, as well as his time on Pittsburgh’s staff, makes him a strong candidate to rejoin the group as a reliable depth option.

The Steelers’ interest in Johnson comes as Calvin Austin III continues to recover from a shoulder injury that has sidelined him indefinitely. With the team looking for capable reinforcements, Johnson could be signed to the practice squad rather than the active roster, giving Pittsburgh flexibility to rotate receivers as needed.

Currently, the Steelers’ active wideout group features DK Metcalf, Scotty Miller, Ben Skowronek, and Roman Wilson. With Austin’s timetable for return still uncertain, it seems likely that at least one new face will be elevated each week — and Johnson could be next in line to step up.

The NFL Officially Fines the Chiefs for Violating Concussion Protocol, Leading to a Situation Where a Wide Receiver’s Career Could Be in Jeopardy
BREAKING: The Kansas City Chiefs have just been HIT with massive fines by the NFL after deliberately ignoring mandatory concussion protocol on star wide receiver Rashee Rice, and the consequences could end his career before age 25. It all went down in Week 14 against the Houston Texans. Late in the third quarter, Texans safety Jalen Pitre delivered a brutal (but legal) hit that sent Rashee Rice crashing to the turf. His body went limp, arms showed the classic “fencing posture” response linked to head trauma, and he immediately grabbed his helmet in pain. Any normal team would have rushed him straight to the blue medical tent. The Chiefs? They did NOTHING. No sideline evaluation. No concussion protocol activated. No explanation. Now the league has spoken: Kansas City has been found GUILTY of violating player safety rules and has been slapped with heavy fines just days after Mike Florio (Pro Football Talk) first exposed the incident. Sources say the penalties could climb into the hundreds of thousands, with potential loss of draft picks still on the table. Worse yet – independent neurologists are now warning that if Rice suffered an undetected concussion and was allowed back on the field, the long-term brain damage could be irreversible. We’re talking CTE risk, memory loss, and a very real chance his NFL career is already over at just 24 years old. This isn’t the league’s first rodeo: The New York Giants were fined $200K + Brian Daboll $100K just for peeking into the tent and yelling at doctors The Chiefs’ violation is being called “far more egregious” Rashee Rice has gone silent on social media and is reportedly undergoing extensive follow-up testing. Insider reports claim there’s a growing chance he misses the rest of the 2025 season – or worse. With Kansas City clinging to an 11% playoff chance and now drowning in this player-safety scandal, the reigning champs have officially become the NFL’s biggest villain of 2025. Was protecting a win that night worth potentially destroying a young star’s future? Drop your take below – no holding back.