Steelers Move Quickly After Long Snapper Injury

The Pittsburgh Steelers shuffled their roster Monday with two fresh additions.

Veteran long snapper Jake McQuaide and young offensive tackle Julian Pearl both joined the team ahead of Thursday’s preseason finale in Carolina. To make room, Pittsburgh released three players, including defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk.

McQuaide, 36, enters with nearly 200 NFL appearances across stops with seven teams. He spent his first 10 years as the Los Angeles Rams’ long snapper, earning two Pro Bowl nods and appearing in every game over that span.

He later joined the Dallas Cowboys before injuries cost him part of the 2022 season. Since then, he has filled in with several clubs as a midseason replacement. McQuaide snapped in seven games last year between the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings.

His arrival is tied to a sternum injury sustained by Christian Kuntz in Saturday’s preseason matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Joe Clark of Steelers Depot. Kuntz has held the job since 2021 but is expected to miss multiple weeks. That opens the door for McQuaide, who will likely handle the duties when the Steelers open against the New York Jets on Sept. 7.

Pearl offers depth on the offensive line after bouncing between practice squads since going undrafted out of Illinois in 2024. He signed initially with the Baltimore Ravens, then spent short stretches with the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns.

Both newcomers are expected to be available Thursday night in Pittsburgh’s preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers.

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