A former Pittsburgh Steelers draft pick will be playing for a Grey Cup title in the Canadian Football League.
Former Steelers defensive back Antoine Brooks and the Saskatchewan Roughriders earned a berth in the 112th playing of the Grey Cup with a 24-21 win over the BC Lions in the West Division finals on Saturday.
Brooks, 28, started the season on the practice roster for the Roughriders, but played his way into a call-up — at a different position than where he played in the NFL. Brooks has been playing linebacker for the Roughriders.
He played in nine games in the regular season, making five starts, and recorded 20 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions — one of which he returned 85 yards for a touchdown.
The Steelers originally drafted Brooks out of Maryland with their sixth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He played in four games with the team in 2020, but a preseason injury in 2021 ended his Steelers tenure.
Brooks played eight games with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, and then spent some time playing spring football in America. He played in 10 games for the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL in 2023 and was on the roster for the Memphis Showboats of the UFL in 2024, but did not appear in a game for the team.
Last spring, he signed with the Roughriders, but played in just one game last season.
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Antoine Brooks Jr. (25) participates in the Organized Team Activities (OTAs), Tuesday May 25, 2021 at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
A 5-foot-11, 220-pound defensive back, Brooks was a three-year starter at Maryland, where he broke out at corner as a sophomore in 2017, before moving to safety.
The Alouettes also a have former Steelers player, but backup quarterback James Morgan is currently on the injured list.
Brooks' Roughriders will face the Montreal in the Grey Cup on Nov. 16. The game will be televised in the U.S. on CBS Sports Network, with kickoff from Winnipeg's Princess Auto Stadium scheduled for 6 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Former Steelers Draft Pick to Play for Grey Cup in CFL
Related Headlines
