PITTSBURGH — Alex Highsmith believes he is blessed to be a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers for the next five seasons. But just because the outside linebacker signed a 4-year, $68 million extension does not mean that he suddenly packs it in and forgets about the work ahead of him.
Having now been in the organization since the 2020 season, Highsmith has noticed the tradition of Super Bowls. But the Steelers have not been in the Super Bowl since 2010 when they lost to the Green Bay Packers. With a highly paid defense and the young offense evolving, Highsmith’s top goal is to bring a Super Bowl back to Pittsburgh.
“I think the number one goal for me is to win a Super Bowl,” Highsmith said. “You know, we have to get back to that. We know that this is something that this locker room not only has to get to but it’s about winning it. I think that’s the number one and only goal for me. I want to help us get there and do anything that can help that.”
Now that he is officially signed to a long-term deal, Highsmith reflected back on what the city of Pittsburgh means to him and why he wants to bring a Super Bowl to the city so badly. A lot of it comes down to the fact that he has embraced what the city means to him and how much the organization has helped him.
“Me and my family love it here,” Highsmith said. “Love this city. I think this city truly values hard-working people and I feel like I’m one of those people. I’m a Steeler through and through.”
Highsmith had been set to earn $2.743 million in salary, along with a prorated portion of his signing bonus, in 2023 for a cap hit of $2.951 million. With the extension, his new salary cap hit for 2023 will be $4.418 million, an increase of just $1.467 million.
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