Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Markus Golden has unexpectedly decided to retire just a week after re-signing with the team, as announced by the Steelers.
Golden shared that while waiting for a team to reach out, he began to feel somewhat retired while training and spending time with his kids. He started off strong in the early days of practice, but it seems his passion for the game diminished after a summer spent with his family.
“They maintained great communication with me,” Golden said after rejoining the Steelers. “That’s what I appreciate about the Steelers. They keep in touch and are upfront with you. They said they wanted to bring me back, and they did. I’m grateful for this organization and excited to be here… I started to feel a bit retired, but I enjoyed spending time with my kids.”
With Golden’s retirement, the Steelers can now assess players like Jeremiah Moon, Julius Welschof, and Kyron Johnson. Golden played just one season with the team and entered the NFL in 2015. Reflecting on his career, which spanned nearly a decade, he feels he made the most of his time in the league.
He concluded his career with 51 sacks and 343 tackles, having played for the Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, and the Steelers. Notably, his college roommate was Denzel Martin, the Steelers’ outside linebackers coach, which made his return to the team fitting.
The Steelers initially signed Golden to bolster their outside linebacker depth, leaving Nick Herbig as the clear third outside linebacker. He is expected to start against the Houston Texans, likely alongside either Moon or Johnson in the rotation, with DeMarvin Leal also slated for considerable playing time at outside linebacker.
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