After playing with just two active tight ends last week, the Pittsburgh Steelers ensured they’d have a third available to them for Monday night’s game against the Chicago Bears.
Pine-Richland alumnus Kevin Rader was elevated from the practice squad, the team announced Monday afternoon. Headed into Monday, Rader’s prior NFL experience outside of the preseason was limited to last season’s regular-season finale and the wild-card playoff loss that came the following week, both against the Cleveland Browns.
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Rader, 26, has been with the Steelers off and on since early 2019, spending most of his time on the practice squad and offseason roster. The former Youngstown State player is known for his blocking.
Veteran tight end Eric Ebron previously was ruled out of playing a second consecutive game because of a hamstring injury. Without Ebron last week at the Cleveland Browns, the Steelers had only rookie Pat Freiermuth and Zach Gentry at tight end.
The NFL modified its practice squad rules last season to allow for “call-ups” to be in uniform for two games per season before a player would need to be added to the 53-man roster.
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