Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers have brought preseason standout running back Lew Nichols back to the team’s practice squad, the club announced on Wednesday.
Nichols was placed on waivers on Tuesday as part of the team’s final cuts down to 53 players. He cleared waivers on Wednesday and was quickly re-signed by the team.
Nichols and veteran Trey Sermon were both added two the practice squad, with just three running backs on the active roster in Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell and Kaleb Johnson.
While Sermon will likely provide instant depth at the position, the Steelers seem to like what they might have long-term in Nichols, who had a very strong preseason for the club. Nichols was a preseason star, rushing for 87 yards on 11 carries in three games (7.9 average) and catching five passes for 36 yards.
The NCAA’s leading rusher with Central Michigan in 2021, Nichols’ ball-carrying prowess probably did not need a ton of proving, though that was by far the most effective he’s run at the NFL level.
But his pass protection and receiving skills need continued honing, and the Steelers also did not get him involved much in special teams after adding him late in camp.
Originally a seventh-round pick of the Green Bay Packers out of Central Michigan in 2023, Nichols was released early in his rookie season after an injury. He caught on with the Eagles, bouncing on and off their active roster and practice squad all the way through the 2024 season, eventually winning a Super Bowl LIX ring as part of the Philadelphia practice squad this February. He was released by the Eagles for good on July 22.
Waiting for another opportunity, Nichols was determined to show his explosive side if he got another shot, and he did just that with the Steelers. Now he’ll have the chance to continue to impress the team’s coaching staff throughout the 2025 season.
Players on the practice squad are free to sign with other teams at any time. The Steelers have a maximum of 17 slots on their practice squad, which is usually filled by a combination of players the team released and cuts from other squads. The team signed 16 players on Wednesday, all of which had previously been with the team in training camp.
MORE: Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 Practice Squad Signings Tracker
MORE: Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 Practice Squad Signings Tracker
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Re-Sign Standout Preseason Performer
