Steelers role players of the past: Where are they now?

Some of the high-profile former Pittsburgh Steelers’ role players have well documented career paths since their departure from Pittsburgh.  Santonio Holmes, for example, took his bad attitude to the Jets, then to the Injured Reserve List.  Plaxico Burress won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants, then celebrated in prison before also joining the Jets. Not all Steelers wind up playing in New York, some fan favorites are now playing important roles in strange places.

Matt Spaeth, everybody’s favorite 6’ 7” No. 2 tight end, was a force to occasionally be reckoned with whenever Big Ben got short-pass happy.  He is no longer running drag routes in the end-zone for the black and gold.  Now, he’s the No. 2 tight end in Chicago, constantly disappointing a pouting Jay Cutler.  While he had a decent year in 2011, catching two TD’s for the Chicago Bears, he only has one 4-yard reception at the half-way mark of this season.

Brian St. Pierre’s career has been less than glorious.  He spent one year behind Tommy Guns, and Chuck Batch.  And yet, fans remember him fondly, perhaps because of his great name.  After his one season as a Steeler, and another stint on the practice roster, St. Pierre flew off to warmer pastures, backing up Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals.  From there, he flew off to slightly less warm pastures, where he became a Carolina Panther.  It was here that he made his one and only professional start, a blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens.  Where is he now?  A free agent.  Perhaps the Jets will pick him up.  They apparently need QB help.

Limas Sweed could have been great, if not for the injuries.  If healthy, he would have been a higher draft pick.  If healthy, he would have been a more productive Steeler.  Pittsburgh gave him plenty of chances to prove himself, but in the end, there were just too many dropped passes, and too much time was spent on the sidelines.  They had to let him go.  Where is he now?  Canada!  Sweed is going to be catching passes in Seskatchewan, as he just signed with the Rough Riders at the end of October.

Josh Komon is an NFL team writer for TPF and can be contacted at JKomon@ThePenaltyFlagBlog.com