After change of heart, Tyson Alualu rejects Jaguars and returns to the Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers had seen several of their free agents leave to new teams prior to the start of the 2021 season, and the one which caused the fans the most angst was the loss of defensive tackle Tyson Alualu.

Alualu had decided to go back to the team who drafted him, the Jacksonville Jaguars, but in a stunning change of events, Alualu has had a change of heart and is returning to the Steelers.

This per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network:

Of all my years writing/rooting for the Steelers, I have never seen a story like this. I have seen players failing a physical and hitting the open market again, but never have I seen a player simply change their minds like this.

For more back story, Pelissero tells how Alualu was supposed to make the trip to Florida to sign with Jacksonville, but after a positive COVID-19 test he was forced to stay in Pittsburgh. The 10 day period where he had to stay and isolate was reportedly what made Alualu realize he didn’t want to uproot his family.

What a strange story, but great news for the Steelers. Now, with Chris Wormley and Alualu both coming back on two year deals, the Steelers’ defensive front will be as strong as every heading into 2021. This also impacts the team’s approach to the 2021 NFL Draft. No longer should defensive lineman be high on the team’s draft board.

With that said, be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they progress through Free Agency and prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.

UPDATE

As reports continue to surface, it looks as if there were some Steelers teammates who did some heavy recruiting to keep Alualu from returning to the Jaguars.