Now the second-biggest player — by listed weight — on the Pittsburgh Steelers active roster, Brodric Martin-Rhodes must find it difficult to blend in to the proverbial crowd.
He sees his acquisition by the Steelers as a chance to finally stand out.
A 330-pound defensive tackle, Martin-Rhodes was signed off the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad this week. He could be in line to be in uniform during Sunday’s game at the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I feel pretty good,” the 2023 third-round draft choice of the Detroit Lions said of taking advantage of a possible opportunity. “I think I’m ready. I know I’m ready. I’ve been in Detroit for about two years, but I didn’t get full opportunity. Then I went to Kansas City and was waiting for my opportunity, and I’ve been waiting for a long time. So I think it’s time that I can finally show it.”
The Steelers signed Martin-Rhodes after unsuccessful attempts to add to the D-line position room at the trade deadline in the wake of the season-ending knee injury to veteran reserve defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale.
The Steelers had built a deep defensive line group but lost three veterans for the season to injury: Ekuale, Dean Lowry and Isaiahh Loudermilk.
Martin-Rhodes was the ninth defensive tackle drafted just 31 months ago, taken 96th overall out of Western Kentucky. But he’s with his third organization and has appeared in just five NFL regular-season games. He has 53 career snaps and four tackles.
“I’m real happy to be here,” he said from UPMC Rooney Sports Complex after Friday’s practice.
“Happy to be around these players, be coached by Coach (Mike) Tomlin, (Defensive line coach Karl) Dunbar. It’s going to be a good one.”
Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)