Former Steelers OLB Anthony Chickillo announces retirement from the NFL

Former Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Anthony Chickillo took to Instagram on Sunday to announce his retirement from the NFL after six seasons.

Drafted as the 212th overall selection in the 2015 NFL draft, Chickillo did not initially make it on the Steelers 53-man roster his rookie season as he was on the Steelers’ practice squad for the first few weeks of 2015. Called up to the active roster at the end of September, Chickillo appeared in seven games as a rookie.

Used primarily as a special teams player and rotational outside linebacker, Chickillo was signed as an exclusive rights free agent in 2017 and was given an original round tender as a restricted free agent in 2018. The Steelers signed Chickillo to a two-year, $8 million contract for 2019.

After being arrested for a domestic dispute in October, Chickillo spent eight days on the Exempt/Commissioners Permission List. Appearing at 11 games with only 0.5 sacks, Chickillo was released in the offseason and signed with the New Orleans Saints for 2020. Failing to make the team, Chickillo was signed to the practice squad only to be poached a few weeks later by the Denver Broncos. Chickillo ended the season in Denver playing in 11 games with one sack, one pass defensed, and 11 tackles.

In his five years in Pittsburgh, Chickillo started nine games for the Steelers where he had three passes defensed, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 7.5 sacks, 97 tackles, and 15 quarterback hits. The highlight of Chickillo’s career came just over two minutes into the 2017 season when he recovered a blocked punt by Tyler Matakevich in the end zone for a touchdown. Over his career, Chickillo’s special-teams snaps outnumbered those he played on defense both in total and in four of his six seasons.

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