And just like that, Peppers is returning to Foxborough…
…in a Steelers uniform.
On Tuesday, NFL Media was first to report that former Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers is expected to sign with Pittsburgh, marking the fourth stop of his professional career. The 29-year-old was surprisingly released by New England three days after the August 26 final 53-man roster cutdown.
Peppers began his career in the AFC North, being drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Browns. Ahead of the 2019 season, Peppers was traded to the Giants, where he played out the remainder of his rookie deal through the end of the 2021 season.
Since arriving in New England in 2022, Peppers had been among the leaders in the locker room for the Patriots, considered by fans and media alike to be one of the defense’s best players despite all the losing happening around him.
But heading into Week 5 of last season, the honeymoon phase with Peppers and the Patriots came to a screeching halt, as the team captain was arrested and charged with assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation, and possession of a Class "B" substance. Upon being arrested, Peppers was moved to the Commissioner Exempt List, putting him on indefinite leave while the league underwent its own investigation of the matter.
The NFL ultimately reinstated Peppers from the list in late November, and he was later acquitted of all assault charges in January. He did, however, plead guilty to possession of cocaine - a charge “continued without a finding,” meaning it would be dropped if he remained drug-free and met other probationary conditions for four months. He was also subject to regular testing under the NFL's substance abuse program.
Peppers remained drug-free for the four-month period, and the charge was ultimately dropped.
Despite the distractions stemming from this situation, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel made it clear upon Peppers’ release that it had nothing to do with this-or-any off-field issue.
“I think that these things are tough decisions,” Vrabel said of Peppers’ release in a press conference on Labor Day. “I think we're just trying to get it right. I’ve got a lot of respect for Jabrill as a person and as a player, and what we felt like was in the best interest of the team at this point was allowing him to have another opportunity elsewhere.
“There's a lot of things that go into these decisions and they're never easy, and we're just trying to get it right collectively. And, again, I know that there's a personal side and a professional side, I talked about that with the players this morning, and whether you agree with it or disagree with it, just try to respect it and move forward and continue to build a team, continue to build a program. And I know Jabrill will do good things in this league and outside of the field as well. He's a passionate player, and again, got a lot of respect for him.”
That “opportunity elsewhere” is with AFC rival Pittsburgh (1-0), who come to Gillette Stadium in Week 3 on the same weekend as this year’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction.
With Peppers’ intimate knowledge of everything the Patriots had installed defensively throughout camp, his signing with the Steelers is far from ideal for a New England secondary that just allowed Geno Smith to tear them apart for a second straight season.
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