The Pittsburgh Steelers have released former Penn State wide receiver and special teams ace Dan Chisena, the team announced on Saturday.
Chisena, 26, signed a one-year deal with the Steelers this offseason after spending his first three NFL seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, where he did not catch a pass, but locked down a role as a member of the special teams units.
Chisena was unable to do that in Pittsburgh. In three preseason games, he played just four snaps of special teams, three in kickoff coverage and on kick return. He saw more playing time on offense, where a pair of injuries moved him up the depth chart for the preseason finale in Atlanta on Thursday.
He played 27 snaps against the Falcons on offense, after having just eight in the first two weeks combined. He was targeted twice and made one catch for 16 yards.
A track and football star at Downingtown East High School in Chester County, Chisena ran track for Penn State from 2016-18. He competed in the 100 and 400 meters, and was a part of Penn State’s relay team that won the 2017 Big Ten championship.
In 2018, he walked onto the football team, playing appearing in two games on special teams while also being a multiple-time scout team player of the week.
The following season, he earned a scholarship, played in 12 games and made two starts. He won the John Bruno Award as Penn State’s top special teams player.
The Steelers must cut down from their 90-player offseason roster to the NFL-mandated 53-man limit by 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
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