Pittsburgh Steelers sign recently released Chiefs running back

Less than one week after the Kansas City Chiefs gave him the pink slip, running back La'Mical Perine has found a new NFL franchise to call home after signing a contract to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers announced the one-year deal on Thursday afternoon.

Perine played his first two seasons in the NFL with the New York Jets in 2020-21 and had 64 carries for 232 rushing yards and 2 scores his rookie season. He fell out of favor thereafter, however, and was released before his third year in the league. He spent the '22 season on the practice squads of both the Philadelphia Eagles nad Miami Dolphins before signing with the Chiefs for 2023.

La'Mical Perine is staying in the AFC with the Pittsburgh Steelers after his recent release from the Chiefs.

Last year with the Chiefs, Perine was activated for three games down the stretch and had 22 total carries and 77 rushing yards for K.C.

The Chiefs' release of Perine was a bit surprising given that he was the third most tenured/experienced running back on the roster behind Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. For a franchise that preaches the need for depth in the backfield, the Chiefs are woefully thin and the loss of Perine whittled down that competition even further.

Without Perine, the Chiefs decided to move forward with a mix of Keaontay Ingram, Deneric Prince, Hassan Hall, Emani Bailey, and Carson Steele to compete for roster spots in the preseason. It's also possible the Chiefs make a move for a veteran if they don't like how the competition is unfolding.

As for the Steelers, they will place Perine behind Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, and Cordarelle Patterson to compete for a spot with Jonathan Ward and Aaron Shampklin.

Perine has some impressive bloodlines since his cousin, Samaje Perine, is also a running back in the NFL while another cousin, Myles Jack, is a linebacker who actually played in Pittsburgh last season.