Steelers Rookie Tryout Signings: Where are they now?

Running back Alfonzo Graham is the latest athlete to turn a long-shot tryout at rookie minicamp into a contract with the black and gold. Let’s see what’s happened with our other most recent rookie tryout signings.

---

2022

DT Trevon Mason

Trevon lasted 15 days in Pittsburgh. He signed with the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks, who advanced to the South Division Championship game last month.

DB Carlins Platel

Carlins made it all the way through training camp, but injured his ankle in the preseason finale. He spent the year on injured reserve, but was recently released along with William Jackson III in March.

K Nick Sciba

Nick didn’t make the 53, so he got a job at a South Carolina fish market. Then, Boswell got hurt before week 8. Sciba signed and went 3-3 on field goals, plus a PAT in Philadelphia. He’s currently kicking for the New Jersey Generals in the USFL.

WR Tyler Snead

Tyler didn’t make the 53, but he had a heroic, game-winning moment in the preseason against Jacksonville. He’s currently in camp with the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL.

---

2019

QB Devlin Hodges

Like something straight out of a Hollywood movie, Duck went from tryout invite to QB1 in his rookie season. His highlights included winning his first start against the Chargers, and engineering a comeback win against the Bengals. In all, he appeared in 8 games, throwing for 1,063 yards with 5 TDs, 8 INTs. Duck stayed on the practice squad in 2020. In 2021, he signed with the Rams, but failed to make the 53. He played for the Ottawa Redblacks, but only saw action in 4 games. He’s currently retired from football and has taken the role of red carpet arm candy to country star Lainey Wilson.

OT Damian Prince

Damian didn’t make the 53, and wasn’t signed to the practice squad. His name hasn’t been spoken on the internet since, except when remembering Maryland greats.

LB Tuzar Skipper

The 2019 pre-season sack leader initially looked like the next great Steelers pass rusher, but he was waived prior to week 1 and snatched up by the Giants. He came back to Pittsburgh that November, but couldn’t make the 53 in 2020. After stops in Tennessee, Atlanta and Tennessee again, he returned to Pittsburgh in 2022, but ended up on injured reserve before the season started. Tuzar signed with the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL for the 2023 seasons, where he earned 8 sacks and reached the league semi-finals.

---

2018

WR Damoun Patterson

Damoun impressed everyone throughout camp, with many thinking he had a real shot at making the roster. He got turf toe in the preseason finale and was waived. He spent that year on the Tampa Bay and New England practice squads (earned a ring with the Pats), but was ultimately waived before the 2019 season. Then, the St Louis Battlehawks selected him in the XFL draft, but he was cut before the season started. He signed with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2020, but decided not to play due to COVID-19. Damoun’s next stop was the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League. Then in 2022, he signed with the Jefes de Ciudad Juarez of Mexico’s LFA. That team went 1-9 this season and was plagued with scandal.

OG R.J. Prince

RJ made it to the practice squad his rookie year, but was let go at minicamp in 2019. He landed on the Ravens practice squad and was even elevated to their active roster twice in the 2020, but he didn’t see any playing time. He signed with New England in 2021, but failed to make their 53-man roster. He’s gone silent on social media ever since.

---

2017

LB Matt Galambos

Matt made it to the practice squad his rookie year, but injured himself a few weeks into the regular season and was released. He signed a futures contract that off-season, but failed to make the 53 in 2018. Today, he’s a linebacker coach for The Haverford School. His twitter bio says he’s also a certified personal trainer who conducts 1-on-1 coaching sessions. He has a spotify playlist of workout music that he updates every month.

TE Phazahn Odom

The Fordham star didn’t make it to the 53-man roster or the practice squad his rookie season. In 2019, he signed with the NY Streets of the National Arena League (whose arena wasn’t big enough for a regulation 50-yard field, they played on a 38-yard field). This month, he just started a new job as a staff associate at Lohman & Associates Accounting.

---

Kyle Chrise is the host of the SCN podcast “What Yinz Talkin’ Bout.” New episodes are released every Thursday.