The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed former Harvard running back Aaron Shampklin to a reserve/future contract for the 2024 season, the team announced on Wednesday.
Shampklin, 24, is entering his third professional season. He worked out with the Steelers in August, but was not offered a contract at that time.
Shampklin is a 5-foot-10, 195-pound running back that originally signed with the Dallas Cowboys as a UDFA in the spring of 2022. Shampklin was waived with an injury settlement after a preseason ankle injury.
In three preseason games with the Cowboys in 2022, he rushed 28 times for 106 yards and also had one reception.
He was later signed by the Indianapolis Colts to their practice squad and finished the season there without appearing in a regular season game. Shampklin re-signed with the Colts for 2023, but was waived on May 2 and has been a free agent since.
Shampklin played three seasons at Harvard from 2017-21, with his most productive season coming in 2018 as a sophomore, when he rushed 172 times for 1,053 yards and nine touchdowns and caught eight passes for 133 yards and another score.
Shampklin is not be the first former Harvard athlete the Steelers signed recently. They had ex-Crimson wide receiver Cody Chrest with the team for OTAs and minicamp in 2023, but he was released prior to the start of training camp.
Three Harvard alumni were in the NFL as of the end of the 2023 season: tight end Anthony Firsker, fullback Kyle Juszczyk and long snapper Tyler Ott. That last Crimson running back to make it to the league was Clifton Dawson in 2007.
Shampklin is one of 17 players the Steelers signed to reserve/future contracts for the 2024 season. He is the only running back, joining Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren and Godwin Igwebuike on the 90-man roster for the 2024 season.
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