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Steelers Sign Super Bowl Champion CB Sean Murphy-Bunting

2:12 PM ETConfirmed

Sports Desk

In Short: The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed former Super Bowl champion cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting to bolster their defense.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed former Super Bowl champion cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.

Murphy-Bunting, 29, brings Super Bowl pedigree to the Steelers, having won a title with the Buccaneers in 2021.

The move comes after the Steelers traded cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder.

The Steelers are 2-2 and need to turn things around to compete for the AFC North title in what's expected to be Aaron Rodgers' last season.

Murphy-Bunting has dealt with injuries in recent years, but he's still one of the most physical ball-hawking corners in the league.

The signing should help offset the loss of Porter, providing valuable depth behind Asante Samuel Jr., Jalen Ramsey, and Jamel Dean.

Mike Tomlin, who guided the Steelers for 19 seasons and won Super Bowl XLIII, is now in broadcasting and has been critical of the current team's performance.

Tomlin said on Pro Football Focus' 'NFL Show,' 'A good coach gets you to play to your potential. And right now, the players we have on that team, I have seen play, they’re not playing up to their potential. A great coach gets you to play beyond your potential. Something has to be done.'

Background

What's confirmed

• The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed former Super Bowl champion cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.
• Murphy-Bunting, 29, brings Super Bowl pedigree to the Steelers, having won a title with the Buccaneers in 2021.
• The move comes after the Steelers traded cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder.
• The Steelers are 2-2 and need to turn things around to compete for the AFC North title in what's expected to be Aaron Rodgers' last season.
• Murphy-Bunting has dealt with injuries in recent years, but he's still one of the most physical ball-hawking corners in the league.
• The signing should help offset the loss of Porter, providing valuable depth behind Asante Samuel Jr., Jalen Ramsey, and Jamel Dean.
• Mike Tomlin, who guided the Steelers for 19 seasons and won Super Bowl XLIII, is now in broadcasting and has been critical of the current team's performance.

What's still developing

• We’ll see if Art Rooney is listening to one of the Steelers’ greats.
• But if Art Rooney thinks for one second that Steelers fans will sit by and watch two more seasons that mirror what 2025 has been, he’s got another thing coming.
• The Steelers received a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder for Porter, the son of a former Steelers legend and their top defensive back, whom they selected early in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft after a standout college career at Penn State.
• More news : Robert Saleh Fires Back at Cam Ward Critics as Titans Fall to 0-4 More news : Eagles Make Intriguing QB Decision Hours Before Playing Rams The move should help offset the loss of Porter, providing valuable depth behind Asante Samuel Jr., Jalen Ramsey and Jamel Dean, a group that just got beat by Deshaun Watson and the Browns.
• In less than one week, the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will face the defending AFC champs, the New England Patriots, to kick off the 2026 season, in a rematch of the big game played in February.
• Appearing on Pro Football Focus' "NFL Show," Tomlin called Myles Garrett, the longtime Cleveland Brown and current Los Angeles Rams pass rusher, the "best damn player in football." And Tomlin would know, as his Steelers play the Browns twice a season as AFC North rivals.
• 🎙 UPCOMING BROADCASTS - SUNDAY: 11:45 AM ET, PATRIOTS PREGAME SHOW; AFTER GAME, POSTGAME SHOW & PRESS CONFERENCE COVERAGE Forged in Foxborough Episode 3: Earn Your Role Experts share their picks for the Patriots' Week 2 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Why Gennaro picked the Patriots: Is New England doomed to suffer the infamous Super Bowl hangover?
• While the Steelers now have an offensive-minded head coach in Mike McCarthy, they still feature the same wildly opportunistic defense, with T.J.
• With a more composed effort from the 24-year-old quarterback, the reigning AFC champs should be able to take care of business against a Steelers squad that looks like it will continue to live in the bottom half of the league offensively.
• Was the 2026 NFL season just the beginning for Sam Darnold and the defending Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks?
• "They got a lot of great things going for them, and the biggest thing is that no one's even talking about them. It's the quietest Super Bowl champion team I've ever heard of. It's unreal, and it's going to play into their favor."

Sources

• A to Z Sportslink
• Newsweeklink
• CBS Sportslink
• Newsweeklink
• Patriotslink
• Fox Newslink
• Heismanlink
• Fieldgullslink
• Espnlink
• Heavylink
• Bleacherreportlink
• Steelersdepotlink
• Riggosraglink
• BBClink
• WarpBeat — background on Steelers Trade Joey Porter Jr. to Cowboys for Future Picks link
• WarpBeat — background on Cowboys Trade for Steelers Cornerback Joey Porter Jr link
• Steelers Report — video link