It was a rather surprising signing, one that seemingly came out of nowhere. But the addition of veteran linebacker and special teams ace Tyler Matakevich on a one-year deal, the Pittsburgh Steelers reuniting with the 2016 seventh-round pick has strengthened their roster, especially on special teams.
Though he has to win a job on special teams with nothing guaranteed, the prospect of Matakevich flying around on special teams under coordinator Danny Smith alongside All-Pro special teams ace Miles Killebrew is an enticing one.
For the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko, that pairing could be a “pretty darn good 1-2 punch” on special teams for the Steelers in 2024, which would come in a season where the NFL is implementing a new kickoff rule designed to make it a more explosive, important play.