Steelers Cut Ties with International Safety

The Pittsburgh Steelers have released international strong safety Ayo Oyelola, the team announced on Saturday.

Oyelola, a native of Essex, England, had been with the club since he signed on Sept. 2, as part of the international player pathway program. He had not been elevated from the practice squad to play in a game this season.

The Steelers have had two such players on their practice squad since they re-signed German outside linebacker Julius Welschof midseason. Welschof had been with the club in training camp, but suffered a knee injury in the final preseason game.

The 25-year-old is a 5-foot-11, 213-pound safety who spent the last two seasons on the practice squad of the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Oyelola first signed with the Jaguars in 2022. He played in two preseason games with Jacksonville that season, getting a total of 16 snaps of playing time. This past season in 2023, he played in 27 snaps over three preseason games. He was released by the Jaguars in April and had not signed with another NFL team since. Oyelola worked out with the Steelers before signing with the club.

Before signing with the Jaguars, Oyelola spent the 2021 season in the Canadian Football League, playing in one game with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The release of Oyelola cleared space for the Steelers to re-sign wide receiver Scotty Miller to their practice squad. Miller had been waived on Thursday, cleared and was brought back to the practice squad and elevated for Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.