Steelers Make Secret Moves: 3 Unexpected Signings That Could Change the Season

Is it possible for a franchise steeped in steel-town grit and a proud history of dominance to quietly rebuild without shaking the foundations of its fanbase? The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves at that exact crossroads. After a rather uneventful offseason, save for the headline-grabbing arrival of DK Metcalf, the Steelers seem to be inching forward—not with a bang, but a steady shuffle—signing a trio of new players who might just fly under the radar at first glance. With playoff frustrations simmering and a roster that feels like it’s stuck in “meh” mode, the question hanging over Pittsburgh is whether these moves—adding running backs Max Hurleman and Trey Sermon plus offensive tackle Gareth Warren—will inject fresh life or fade into the background like so many offseason whispers. Let’s unpack what these signings really mean and if they could tip the scales in Shakespearean fashion for a team hungry to reclaim its glory days.

Pittsburgh Steelers fans are growing frustrated with the string of mediocre seasons and playoff disappointments in recent years, and after a fairly quiet offseason outside of the blockbuster trade for DK Metcalf, there wasn’t a whole lot done to get this roster to the next level.

After bringing in a fairly workmanlike draft class highlighted by Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, and Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, Pittsburgh is still hard at work after signing three more players on Monday.

The Steelers announced on X that on Monday, they signed running backs Max Hurleman and Trey Sermon as well as offensive tackle Gareth Warren, all three of whom participated in Pittsburgh’s rookie minicamp, while they also released running back Aaron Shampklin.

We have signed RB Max Hurleman, RB Trey Sermon, OT Gareth Warren, and released RB Aaron Shampklin. @BordasLaw https://t.co/V4z7R0qHR6

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) May 12, 2025

Hurleman spent four years at Colgate before transferring to Notre Dame, where he mostly served as a special teams weapon.

He averaged 7.2 yards per punt return in college while handling 194 carries for 814 yards and one touchdown.

Warren appeared in 35 games over four years at Lindenwood University, serving as part of an offensive line that ran for 134.7 yards per game in 2023, which was good for fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Sermon comes with NFL experience, as he has appeared in 42 games in his four years in the league with the Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, and Philadelphia Eagles.

He has 134 carries for 505 yards and three touchdowns in his career, and with Najee Harris no longer patrolling Pittsburgh’s backfield, there could be some carries to go around if Sermon can stick on the roster.

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