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Former Steelers DT Looks to Make NFL Comeback
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- Former Steelers DT Looks to Make NFL Comeback
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs on Oct. 16, 2021. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
A former defender of the Pittsburgh Steelers could soon be heading to the NFC.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs worked out for the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks , according to Aaron Wilson of Houston's KPRC2 .
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Buggs, 29, has not been active in the NFL since he was released by the Kansas City Chiefs in June of 2024 as he has dealt with multiple legal issues, including charges of animal abuse and domestic violence.
Buggs was convicted in Alabama of two counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty in 2024 for leaving two dogs unattended and was sentenced to 60 days of hard labor. Those charges were filed in May 2024.
A June 2024 incident was the basis for the domestic violence charges. Buggs was alleged to have broken into the house of the mother of his child and dragged her down the stairs, causing scratch marks and broken nails. That arrest caused his release by Kansas City .
Buggs entered a plea agreement in the domestic violence case that reduced the charge to criminal trespass, and had the conviction for animal cruelty overturned last April.
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It's unclear which incident or incidents were the basis of the NFL suspension, but the league's domestic abuse policy does not require a conviction to warrant a suspension.
"We are grateful to the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney's Office for its careful review of the facts and evidence and for working toward a fair and just outcome," Buggs said last April in a statement provided by attorney Greg Gambril . "I am focused on moving forward and continuing my football career."
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs during a game against the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 2, 2020. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Buggs has since played for the UFL's San Antonio Brahmas (2025) and Orlando Storm (2026). However, his suspension was lifted just past the midway point of the 2025 season and he now seems to be eyeing a return to the NFL.
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A sixth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Buggs stayed with Pittsburgh until 2021, when the team released him, and he joined the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad. He later spent two seasons with the Detroit Lions and became a Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs in February 2024.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Former Steelers DT Looks to Make NFL Comeback
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