While he may not have seen a lot of playing time the past couple years, offensive lineman Zach Banner has become a cult hero among Steeler Nation.
Banner was released by the Steelers shortly after NFL free agency officially began last month.
Over the weekend, Banner released a video on social media thanking Steelers fans and the City of Pittsburgh.
“These past couple weeks have been difficult and hard, but before I left I just wanted to say bye,” Banner said in his message.
Banner suffered a serious knee injury in the first game of the 2020 season against the Giants in New York. Ever since, he has been working back to rehab, but setbacks prevented him from fully participating in 2021.
Banner got heavily involved with charity in the Pittsburgh area, setting up the B3 Foundation, which helped local groups such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania, The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh and more.
The B3 Foundation also helped set up the Geno Fillipponi Memorial Scholarship, named after the late son of The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi, who died to Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a condition that affects blood flow through a baby’s heart while developing during pregnancy.
The scholarship provides $5,000 to students looking to study Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing or Communications.
Banner adds that he plans to continue to his goal of playing in the NFL again.
“I’m going to keep pursuing that same dream that I had before the injury, it’s just unfortunately not going to be here in Pittsburgh,” said Banner.
He also had a message for everyone before he leaves.
“I just wanted to say thank you to all the fans, the whole city,” said Banner. “Thank you to my friends and my teammates that I met over these last couple years. This city means so much to me.”
Banner’s release saves the Steelers $5 million in 2022 and he will count $1.6 million against the cap next season.
Banner’s manager tells the Fan he is going back to his hometown in Los Angeles to train and “will be definitely joining a new team this offseason.”