PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Most will try to say it doesn’t matter. It’s just another game, but released by New England earlier this month, Steelers safety Jabrill Peppers admits it would mean something to him to make plays Sunday.
“Yeah, a little bit, yeah,” Peppers said. “I am the type of guy where this comes with a little bit more for me. This is a different type of situation where you get cut and then play the team within two weeks of getting cut.”
“I just know me, being honest, I know it’s going to be a little extra for me, man.”
Peppers said he just can’t let the emotions get the best of him. You got to try to prepare like another game, but knows it’s not.
Since he was signed last week Peppers has been heavy in the playbook. You’ll see him during down times studying the plays at his locker. It’s his ninth year in the NFL, spending the last three seasons with the Patriots, before that three with the Giants and his first two in Cleveland.
“My biggest asset as a player is my football IQ,” Peppers, a first-round pick of the Browns in 2017, said. “When you’ve been a lot of places, played a lot of ball, you got to turn the verbiage into something you can go back to and it registers. There are only so many defenses. It’s about being a pro, getting in the book, watching the tape and applying what you know in meetings and on the field.”
Even with his limited knowledge of his new team, Peppers was able to play snaps immediately last week on special teams. He’s ramping up to try and help a defense that has struggled and likely again without safety DeShon Elliott and corner Joey Porter, Junior. He’s a strong safety that excels mostly in the box, but can play back as well. You see even in practice the power from his base and how he squares up an opponent.
Peppers believes he absolutely can be an asset to the defense. He describes himself as someone who has always been high effort, high energy and a sure tackler.
“He's done well,” said Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. “You can see he's a real pro, understands ball, really works. I think the thing that I like about him as I watched him through the last week when we got him and now this week, is the fact that he really tries to communicate and talk about things. I think that's more, for young guys, sometimes they don't want to talk for fear of making a mistake, but he's talking and saying it because that way he'll know if he knows it or not. I really like the way he goes about his business that way.”
“As far as what he does this week, I'm sure we're going to find a role for him and get him out there on the field because he is a quality player. He's a good tackler. So, I'm excited to see what he does for us this week.”
Help is not only wanted, but needed. At 5’11”, 220 pounds, he made 78 tackles (52 solo) in his last full season with the Pats in 2023 with five tackles for loss, eight passes defended and a pair of interceptions. Peppers said he loves it here so far. Now just looking or an opportunity to show New England he can still play.