PITTSBURGH -- Seven months after undergoing spinal fusion surgery to correct a lifelong condition that affected his neck and shoulders, new Steelers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. said he feels healthier than ever after his first football practice in more than a year.
"I feel great," he said Wednesday. "It's the healthiest I've ever been, been dealing with it and I got it fixed, so now I feel good."
Ranked as ESPN's No. 14 overall free agent prior to free agency, Samuel signed to the Steelers' practice squad Tuesday and joined his new team Wednesday morning.
"I'm glad I ended up here," Samuel said after practice, adding that he's taking it "day-by-day" when asked about a possible elevation to the 53-man roster. "I'm glad everything worked out to be here, and I'm blessed to be here with great coaches and great teammates."
"... [Practicing] meant the world to me. Just being out there, putting on a helmet, putting on cleats, going at it, competing with other guys that's trying to accomplish the same goal as me and just trying to win. At the end of the day, it's about winning, and I know that's all it's about over here, winning. It's a winning culture, and I wanted to be a part of that."
Coincidentally, Samuel's spinal fusion surgery was performed in Pittsburgh by Dr. David Okonkwo, who is also the neurosurgeon for the Steelers. Samuel was cleared to return to football activities in October.
Samuel played just four games in 2024 before being placed on season-ending injured reserve, partially as a byproduct of his condition. At the end of the season, Samuel described the injury as a stinger in both shoulders.
"I was playing with it for my whole NFL career, so it's nothing new," he said Wednesday. "I just had to get it fixed."
Okonkwo and Dr. Nicholas Theodore, who specializes in spinal trauma, reviewed Samuel's scans in early November, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
Samuel was a second-round draft pick by the Chargers in 2021 and has 176 tackles in 50 games with 47 career starts. He took several visits to other NFL teams before landing with the Steelers.
Though a timeline for Samuel's potential inclusion in the defensive game plan is unclear, his presence is a boost for a secondary dealing with a slew of injuries. Safety DeShon Elliott is on IR with a long-term recovery from a hyperextended knee, while cornerback Darius Slay is in the concussion protocol. Safety Jabrill Peppers is recovering from a quad injury.
To help fill the gaps at safety, the Steelers had already moved cornerback Jalen Ramsey to free safety because the cornerback group initially had more depth. That, though, was tested once Slay entered the concussion protocol against the Chargers. Free agency acquisition Brandin Echols played in the slot for Ramsey, while James Pierre played at outside corner.
Depending on how quickly he gets up to speed, Samuel can provide depth to that group.
"He's a major factor, in my opinion," Echols said. "I watched a lot of his film before coming to the league. He's a hell of a player, so with that I just can't wait to see him ball."