New Steelers defensive back Desmond King is on his fourth team entering his seventh season in the NFL, but he finally feels like he’s found a home.
King was signed by the Steelers last week after he was cut by the Houston Texans. As a vested veteran with four years of NFL experience, he was not subject to waivers, so when it came time to choose which team he wanted to play for next, it wasn’t a difficult decision when the Steelers called.
King met Steelers coach Mike Tomlin at the NFL combine the year he was drafted and has always admired him from afar.
“It’s like a dream come true,” King said Monday afternoon following a Labor Day practice at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “I always wanted to play for Mike and the city of Pittsburgh. He’s someone who is going to keep it real. He’ll tell you when you’re right and he’ll tell you when you’re wrong. He’s going to uplift you, and at the same time, he’ll tell you what you need to improve on.”
So what did Tomlin tell King when he arrived last week?
“He said, ‘You’re the type of player that needs to be in this organization,’” King said. “’You play fast, tackle well and you’re physical.’ He said as long as you want to win, this is where you need to be.”
King played against the Steelers in 2018 and 2019 when he was with the Chargers, the team that selected him in the fifth round of the 2017 draft. In the 2018 game at Acrisure Stadium, he returned a punt for a touchdown and helped the Chargers beat the Steelers 33-30.
Now King is one of 11 defensive backs on the Steelers’ 53-man roster as they prepare for Sunday’s season opener against the 49ers. He doesn’t figure to jump into the rotation right away, but he said he feels comfortable playing anywhere in the secondary with experience at outside corner, slot corner and safety.
“Everyone says I’m a natural nickel because I have a knack for finding the ball, but I’m a football player,” King said. “You put me anywhere on the field, and I’ll make it happen.”
King has played in 95 career games with 53 starts. He started 25 games the past two seasons for Houston, where he got five of nine career interceptions, but he was not retained by new Texans head coach Demeco Ryans. King said he did not receive an explanation upon his release.
“I’m not sure why,” he said. “I know when I did talk to them, I said I’m excited to see where I end up. God makes no mistakes. He put me in this position to be great.”
Chandon Sullivan and Elijah Riley split the duties at slot corner in the preseason. King is a candidate to challenge them for playing time once he becomes acclimated to the Steelers defense. He also can add depth outside behind Patrick Peterson, Levi Wallace and Joey Porter Jr.
“We have guys who can play multiple positions,” King said. “That will help our team.”
Captains announced
Defensive lineman Cam Heyward, outside linebacker T.J. Watt, quarterback Kenny Pickett and special teams ace Miles Killebrew were named team captains for the 2023 season. It’s a new assignment for Pickett as he enters his second season, but it’s old hat for Heyward, who has been voted a team captain the ninth year in a row.
“It’s self-explanatory with the type of person he is, his dedication to the game,” defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi said. “He’s going into Year 13, and to still be on the incline is a testament to the type of person he is. Guys can follow someone like that.”
Watt was voted a team captain for the third time and Killebrew for a second time. All three were captains last season. Pickett is the only new captain as he takes over for Mitch Trubiksy and Najee Harris, who were team captains last season.
“We love that Kenny has worked his tail off, and everyone sees it,” Heyward said. “He’s grown by leaps and bounds since last year.”
Ogunjobi on the mend
Ogunjobi did not play in any of the preseason games and had limited reps in training camp due to a lingering foot injury. Ogunjobi didn’t practice a lot last season, but he still managed to play in all 17 games.
“Reps are always important,” Ogunjobi said. “I always want them, but certain things happen. You just have to take them in stride. It’s my personal development. I take it very seriously. I do the things I need to do to make sure I’m ready.”
Ray Fittipaldo: rfittipaldo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @rayfitt1.
First Published: September 4, 2023, 7:34 p.m.
Updated: September 5, 2023, 3:18 p.m.
