Samuel 'glad' he joined Steelers after long layoff

"I feel great," he said Wednesday. "It's the healthiest I've ever been, been dealing with it and I got it fixed, so now I feel good."

"I'm glad I ended up here," Samuel said after practice, adding that he's taking it "day-by-day" when asked about a possible elevation to the 53-man roster. "I'm glad everything worked out to be here and I'm blessed to be here with great coaches and great teammates."

"... [Practicing] meant the world to me. Just being out there, putting on a helmet, putting on cleats, going at it, competing with other guys that's trying to accomplish the same goal as me and just trying to win. At the end of the day, it's about winning, and I know that's all it's about over here, winning. It's a winning culture, and I wanted to be a part of that."

Samuel underwent spinal fusion surgery seven months earlier to correct a lifelong condition affecting his neck and shoulders. He was cleared to return to football activities in October and practiced with the Steelers for the first time in over a year. Samuel signed to the Steelers' practice squad Tuesday after being ranked No. 14 among free agents by ESPN prior to free agency. He reported feeling the healthiest he has ever been following the surgery and described practicing as meaningful while embracing the team's winning culture. Samuel played four games in 2024 before landing on season-ending injured reserve, and his surgery was performed in Pittsburgh by Dr. David Okonkwo.

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