Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers released tight end Kevin Foelsch on Aug. 5 after just one week on the team, but the former Division II tight end is back with the club. Foelsch re-signed with the Steelers on Monday in a corresponding move to the team releasing tight end DJ Thomas-Jones.
Foelsch, 24, signed with the team on July 29 after an injury to Thomas-Jones. That injury was initially feared to be season-ending, and the Steelers only had six tights ends on the roster — despite the fact that they’ve been playing four at one time — so they needed to bolster their depth with Foelsch.
Thomas-Jones returned from a left calf/ankle injury last week after suffering the injury on July 27, but was again sidelined for undisclosed reasons. He was inactive for Saturday night’s preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
With only missing a week, it seemed like Thomas-Jones was back to full health but that appears to not be the case.
Foelsch was at practice on Monday. He was wearing No. 84 again.
Nope, still not @AB84. TE Kevin Foelsch is back with the #Steelers. pic.twitter.com/ZJRXHFUMLJ
— Brendan Howe (@bybrendanhowe) August 11, 2025
Foelsch is a product of Division-II New Haven. He has had stints with five teams in just over a year. He spent time with the Carolina Panthers, New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles last season, spending most of the year on the Eagles’ practice squad without playing in a game. He was picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this offseason and released five weeks later.
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound tight spent five seasons at New Haven, where he caught 32 passes for 318 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior in 2023. He was a three-year starter and a three-time all-conference selection. Foelsch was the first former Chargers player to sign an NFL contract since 2017.
Brendan Howe provided reporting from St. Vincent College.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Bring Back Former D-II Tight End, One Week after Release
