Steelers Now
Eight former members of the Pittsburgh Steelers will play for a UFL title next Sunday in the championship game between the Michigan Panthers and DC Defenders.
Michigan defeated the Birmingham Stallions, 44-29 in the USFL Conference finals on Sunday, while the Defenders beat the St. Louis Battlehawks, 36-18 to win the XFL Conference. Both road teams won their conference championship games.
The Panthers have three former Steelers in starting defensive linemen Ron’Dell Carter and T.J. Carter and kicker B.T. Potter. T.J. Carter had two tackles in the conference championship game, while Ron’Dell Carter had one. Potter made his only field goal, a 36-yarder in the fourth quarter.
T.J. Carter, 26, was with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent out of Kentucky during the 2021 offseason. He’s in his third season with the Panthers, also spending the 2022 and 2024 spring seasons in Michigan. He also had NFL stints with the New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals since being released by Pittsburgh. In 10 games with the Panthers this regular season, he recorded 18 tackles and two sacks.
Ron’Dell Carter, 27, was with the Steelers during the 2022 offseason and is also playing in his third season with the Panthers. He’s been with Michigan since 2023. In 10 regular-season games this year, he had 14 tackles.
Potter, 25, was a Steelers UDFA out of Clemson in 2023 that was released after training camp. He caught on with Michigan the following spring and in his second season with the Panthers. He made 11 of 16 field goals this season, and was perfect from less than 40 yards. His longest kick was a 56-yarder.
There are five former Steelers on the DC Defenders: running back Darius Hagans, guard Tykeem Doss, tackle Jarrid Williams, cornerback Kiondre Thomas, kicker Matt McCrane.
Hagans, 25, was a Pittsburgh UDFA out of Division II Virginia State in 2023. He is in his second season with the Defenders, but played just two games this year dude to injury, rushing four times for three yards.
Doss came to Pittsburgh late in training camp last summer after spending his rookie year with the Baltimore Ravens. Doss played right tackle for the Steelers, but he started all 10 games for the defenders at left guard.
Williams, 27, was with the Steelers for training camp in 2023. He’s in his second season with DC, but played in just one game this season as a backup tackle.
Thomas, 27, joined the Steelers mid-training camp last season for a short stint. He re-signed with the Houston Roughnecks for his second spring season this year, but was traded to DC on Nov. 6. He played in eight games for the Defenders, made two starts and recorded 27 tackles and one interception. Thomas had one tackle in the conference championship game.
McCrane, 30, played one game with the Steelers in 2018, and has since become a spring football regular. He played one season with the New York Guardians in 2020 and is now...
