NFL roster moves usually happen in a blur. One day you’re in the facility, the next you’re packing a bag. For linebacker Jeremiah Moon, the journey with the Pittsburgh Steelers has been anything but a straight line. If you’ve been following the Jeremiah Moon Steelers release and subsequent re-signing saga, you know it’s been a rollercoaster of "waived/injured" tags, practice squad stints in other cities, and emergency phone calls.
Moon is a 6-foot-5, 247-pound athlete who looks exactly like what you want in a modern edge rusher. He’s long. He’s fast. He's a Florida Gator product who originally landed in the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2022. But the NFL is a business that doesn't care about your potential if you can't stay on the grass.
The Injury That Changed Everything
Basically, the whole "release" narrative started back in the summer of 2025. Moon had actually shown quite a bit of promise for Pittsburgh in 2024. He played 13 games that year. He even got a start. He was a core special teams guy, even blocking a punt against the Raiders.
Then came the 2025 training camp.
During a standard "get-off" drill in late July, Moon felt like somebody kicked him in the back of the leg. It was his calf. There was no one there. That's usually the sign of a serious muscle tear. The Steelers had high hopes for him as their fourth outside linebacker, but the injury was significant enough that they couldn't justify keeping him on the active 53-man roster while he recovered.
On July 29, 2025, the team officially waived Moon with an injury designation. He cleared waivers, which meant he technically reverted to the Steelers' Injured Reserve (IR). However, the team eventually reached an injury settlement with him in August. That was the official Jeremiah Moon Steelers release that fans saw on the transaction wire.
He was gone.
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Why the Steelers Brought Him Back
Honestly, most players who get an injury settlement don't come back to the same team in the same season. They usually move on. Moon did exactly that. He worked out for the Green Bay Packers in October and eventually signed with the Carolina Panthers' practice squad.
But football is weird.
By December 2025, the Steelers were in a world of hurt. T.J. Watt was dealing with a scary lung injury. Nick Herbig had a hamstring issue. Suddenly, the "exceptional depth" the Steelers thought they had at outside linebacker was non-existent. Mike Tomlin and the front office didn't have time to teach a new guy the playbook. They needed someone who knew the language.
They needed Jeremiah Moon.
On December 18, 2025, the Steelers signed Moon off the Panthers' practice squad. Because he was signed to their active roster, he didn't have to wait. He walked right back into the facility and, as he put it, it was like "riding a bike."
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The Reality of the Jeremiah Moon Steelers Release
So, was the release a mistake? Not really. It was a procedural necessity. When a player is hurt in camp and isn't a locked-in starter, the team often uses the waive/injured designation to free up a roster spot. If the player is going to be out for 8-10 weeks, the team can't afford to let that spot sit empty during the heat of a playoff race.
Moon's 2025 stats won't blow you away:
- Games played: 2 (post-return)
- Total tackles: 2
- Snap count: Limited defensive reps, primarily special teams
But stats don't tell the whole story. Moon was inactive for the Wild Card game against the Houston Texans on January 12, 2026, simply because T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig were healthy enough to go. He served as the ultimate insurance policy.
What This Means for 2026
Jeremiah Moon is now heading into a period where he is a Restricted Free Agent (RFA). Because he has shown he can play special teams at a high level and understands the complex defensive schemes run by Teryl Austin, he has value.
People often get confused by the term "release." In the NFL, it’s rarely a "goodbye forever." It’s often a "see you later if we get desperate." Moon proved he was healthy by playing for Carolina, and the Steelers proved they still liked his upside by poaching him back.
The Jeremiah Moon Steelers release was a byproduct of a calf injury, not a lack of talent.
Moving forward, the Steelers have to decide if Moon is part of their long-term vision behind Watt and Alex Highsmith. He's 27 now. He’s not a "prospect" anymore. He’s a veteran depth piece. For a team that prides itself on defense, having a guy who can step in and play 15 snaps without a mental error is worth every penny of his $1 million salary.
If you're a fan, keep an eye on the RFA tenders this spring. If the Steelers place a tender on him, he's staying. If not, the "release" might become permanent this time.
Next Steps for Following the Roster:
- Check the RFA Deadline: Keep an eye on the mid-March deadline for Restricted Free Agent tenders to see if Pittsburgh protects Moon.
- Monitor Post-Season Inactives: See if Moon remains on the active roster through the remainder of the playoffs or if they move him back to a reserve spot.
- Watch the Draft: If the Steelers take an edge rusher in the first three rounds, Moon’s path to the 53-man roster in 2026 gets a lot harder.