Steelers’ Mike Tomlin Detailed Why Asante Samuel Jr. Got His Week 13 Shot: “It Was Less About [Darius] Slay”

The Pittsburgh Steelers got trampled 26-7 against the Buffalo Bills in Week 13. It was a game where the score didn't justify just how one-sided the matchup truly was, especially in the second half of the contest. The Steelers had just 166 yards of offense, which is the third lowest in the Mike Tomlin era. The defense unfortunately didn't do much better as they surrendered 372 yards with 249 of those being on the ground.

The Steelers had some new faces in the lineup, however. Asante Samuel Jr. made his debut on the team's 53-man roster against the Bills. Samuel, while he did not start the game, did see his fair share of work as James Pierre went down in the third quarter with a concussion. Samuel recorded just three total tackles, but did boast a Pro Football Focus grade of 70.1, which was third highest on the defense. 

Though the bar was low, that is impressive from Samuel considering his last NFL game was September 29th, 2024. Tomlin, in his weekly Tuesday press conference, was asked about why Samuel was the right choice as next man up in Week 13.

"It was less about [Darius] Slay and it was more about getting an opportunity to see Asante Samuel. He's a global NFL starter type, who's been on our practice squad," Tomlin explained. "We certainly wanted to have an opportunity to see him in-stadium, before we had to make a decision on him before someone else forced our hand regarding decisions."

Darius Slay, who had previously been the 2025 starter, was brought to Pittsburgh on a one-year, $10 million deal in the summer. Slay has been battling injures all season long, but he's been active in all games except one. Slay suffered a concussion in Week 10 in the Steelers' loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. He was replaced by the Steelers' longtime corner and special teamer Pierre. 

Pierre shocked the world when he and Joey Porter Jr. held Cincinnati Bengals star wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to a combined 6 catches for 93 yards and one touchdown in Week 11. Pierre in that game recorded 2 passed defended, 6 combined tackles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Unfortunately, Pierre suffered a concussion in the Steelers' Week 13 loss to the Bills. 

When asked about Pierre's overall play, Tomlin had much to say on Tuesday, November 16th.

"James is always game," Tomlin noted. "I thought he played really well, but I thought he's played really well when called upon all year."

Will Samuel Jr. Remain On The Steelers' 53-Man Roster?

The Steelers' secondary has been banged up all season long. All of the starting corners have missed time due to injury. The Steelers were even forced to move future Hall of Famer Jalen Ramsey to free safety. That move appears to have paid off, so it's likely he will stay there for the remainder of the season. With the injury to DeShon Elliott, they also went out and acquired Kyle Dugger from the New England Patriots, solidifying the strong safety position as well. Samuel is a versatile player that should be able to stay on the main roster in addition to these surrounding pieces. Samuel played outside and nickel corner in his time with the Chargers. With Pierre likely missing Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens with a concussion, its likely Samuel gets a helmet for a second straight week. 

With Slay being a healthy scratch in Week 13, and question marks surrounding the availability of Pierre, one might assume Samuel would get the start. However, it's not that easy. Samuel, before Sunday's game, hadn't played a down of football in over a year. That's a tough ask against a division rival in a game with such high stakes for Week 14. With recent news of Slay's release, Samuel's chances may have just gone up.

What do you think the Steelers will do in the secondary moving forward? Is there a correct answer? Let us know in the comments below!

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