THE Pittsburgh Steelers have handed a lifeline to a former New England Patriots star.
The defensive player was brutally released on cutdown day by the Patriots in August.

Jabrill Peppers has been picked up by the Pittsburgh Steelers[/caption]
DeShon Elliott is one of many defensive players on the Steelers injury list[/caption]
A source confirmed to ESPN that the team has signed Jabrill Peppers.
The Steelers’ defence took a major blow in terms of injuries in their opening week win against the New York Jets.
Head coach Mike Tomlin revealed that three players left the game with issues.
Linebacker Malik Harrison went down with a knee injury, while cornerback Joey Porter Jr. reported hamstring tightness.
Safety DeShon Elliott also suffered a knee problem.
And Peppers has been drafted in as his replacement.
The 29-year-old is a former first-round draft pick.
He was selected as 29th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.
This came off the back of a fantastic 2016 with the Michigan Wolverines, where he was named a Unanimous All-American.
He was also named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Linebacker of the Year and Return Specialist of the Year.
He played for the Browns for two seasons before being sent to the New York Giants in a trade that saw Odell Beckham Jr. and Olivier Vernon go the other way.
He had three seasons as a starter in New York before joining the Patriots in 2022.
He continued to impress as a starter in Foxborough, but his 2024 season was curtailed.
In October, he was arrested for domestic violence and possession of cocaine.
He was acquitted of all charges after a trial in January.
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But being placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, combined with a hamstring injury, meant he featured just six times in 2024.
This, combined with coaching staff turnover, meant he was surprisingly dropped by the Pats ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
Peppers will likely face off against his former team in Week 3 when Pittsburgh travel to New England.
First, however, they host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, as they look for back-to-back victories.
They completed a tight 34-32 win over the Jets last weekend, thanks to Aaron Rodgers leading the game-winning drive.
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