The Steelers signed cornerback Jamel Dean to a three-year contract.
Dean has spent the last seven years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after they drafted him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the 94th overall pick.
He has appeared in 96 games, starting 77, and recorded 352 tackles, 278 of them solo stops, 11 interceptions, including two returned for a touchdown, 61 passes defensed and seven tackles for a loss. He also has three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a sack.
Dean has appeared in 10 postseason games, starting nine of them. He has recorded 49 tackles in the postseason, including one for a loss, nine passes defensed and one forced fumble. He was a part of Tampa's Super Bowl LV team.
Dean is one of 12 players with 55 passes defensed, 10 plus interceptions and multiple defensive touchdowns since 2019.
Dean led the Bucs with three interceptions in 2025, including one returned for a touchdown, while finishing the season with 46 tackles, 38 of them solo stops. He also had nine passes defensed, two forced fumbles, a tackle for a loss and a sack.
Per NextGen Stats, Dean allowed the fewest yards per target of any cornerback in coverage in 2025, with 4.7 yards. In addition, he allowed the lowest passer rating when targeted among cornerbacks at 41.3.
Dean missed five games in 2024 due to injuries but started 12, finishing the year with 59 tackles, 45 of them solo stops, seven passes defensed, one interception and a forced fumble. He recorded 10 tackles in Week 2 against the Detroit Lions, following that with 13 tackles against the Denver Broncos in Week 13. The combined 23 tackles in a two-game span set a single season record for a cornerback in Bucs history.
In 2023, Dean finished with 61 tackles, 46 of them solo stops. He added four passes defensed and two fumble recoveries while starting all 13 games he appeared in. In Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons, he finished with 10 tackles and had his first career fumble recovery. In a Wild Card playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles, he recorded a team-high 10 tackles, including one for a loss, and a pass defensed.
Dean started 15 games in 2022, finished the season with 54 tackles, 41 of them solo stops, one tackle for a loss, two interceptions and eight passes defensed. He was a key part of the Bucs defense that finished tied for ninth in total defense, ninth in pass defense and 13th in points allowed per game. Dean had two interceptions in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints, the first time in his career he had multiple interceptions in a game.
In 2021, Dean started 11 of 15 games he appeared in. He recorded 52 tackles, 43 of them solo stops, two tackles for a loss, two interceptions and nine passes defensed. The Bucs finished the season allowing the fifth-fewest points per game and seventh-fewest yards per play, while ranking third in rush defense.
Dean started seven of the 14 games he appeared in during the 2020 season, finished with 59 tackles, including a career-high 48 solo stops. He added seven passes defensed, two tackles for a loss, and one interception, which he returned 32 yards for a touchdown against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Dean recorded four tackles and one pass defense in the Bucs win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, holding Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a 52.3 passer rating.
In his rookie season in 2019, Dean tied for fourth in the NFL in passes defensed with 17, with three games where he recorded at least four passes defensed. He appeared in 13 games, starting five, and recorded 21 tackles, 16 of them solo stops, two interceptions, and a tackle for a loss.
Dean played college football at Auburn where he appeared in 26 games and finished with 73 tackles, including four and a half for a loss, 17 passes defensed, two interceptions and one sack.
JAMEL DEAN SINGLE-GAME HIGHS:
Total Tackles 13 vs. Denver Broncos, Sep 22, 2024
10 at Detroit Lions, Sep 15, 2024
10 vs. Atlanta Falcons, Oct 22, 2023
9 at Atlanta Falcons, Oct 03, 2024
9 vs. Dallas Cowboys, Sep 09, 2021
Solo Tackles 9 at Atlanta Falcons, Oct 03, 2024
9 vs. Denver Broncos, Sep 22, 2024
9 vs. Atlanta Falcons, Oct 22, 2023
8 at Buffalo Bills, Oct 26, 2023
7 at Detroit Lions, Sep 15, 2024
...2 more at 7.
Passes Defensed 5 at Atlanta Falcons, Nov 24, 2019
4 at Philadelphia Eagles, Oct 14, 2021
4 at Chicago Bears, Oct 08, 2020
4 vs. Arizona Cardinals, Nov 10, 2019
...1 more at 4.
Fumble Recoveries 1 at Carolina Panthers, Jan 07, 2024
1 vs. Atlanta Falcons, Oct 22, 2023
Tackles For Loss 2 at Atlanta Falcons, Dec 20, 2020
1 vs. San Francisco, Oct 12, 2025
1 vs. Green Bay Packers, Sep 25, 2022
1 vs. Carolina Panthers, Jan 09, 2022
1 vs. Chicago Bears, Oct 24, 2021
...1 more at 1.
Interceptions 2 at New Orleans Saints, Sep 18, 2022
Interception Return Yards
55 vs. New York Jets, Sep 21, 2025
32 vs. Green Bay Packers, Oct 18, 2020
31 vs. Houston Texans, Dec 21, 2019
24 at New Orleans Saints, Sep 18, 2022
6 vs. Miami Dolphins, Oct 10, 2021
Special Teams Tackles 3 at New Orleans Saints, Sep 13, 2020
2 vs. Baltimore Ravens, Oct 27, 2022
1 at Pittsburgh Steelers, Oct 16, 2022
1 vs. Atlanta Falcons, Sep 19, 2021
Longest Opp Fumble Return 7 vs. Atlanta Falcons, Oct 22, 2023
SINGLE-GAME HIGHS - POSTSEASON: DEFENSIVE
Total Tackles 7 vs. Los Angeles Rams, Jan 23, 2022
7 vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Jan 16, 2022
7 at Washington Football Team, Jan 09, 2021
4 vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Feb 07, 2021
3 at New Orleans Saints, Jan 17, 2021
Solo Tackles 7 at Washington Football Team, Jan 09, 2021
6 vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Jan 16, 2022
5 vs. Los Angeles Rams, Jan 23, 2022
4 vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Feb 07, 2021
2 at Green Bay Packers, Jan 24, 2021
...1 more at 2.
Passes Defensed 1 vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Jan 16, 2022
1 vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Feb 07, 2021
1 at Green Bay Packers, Jan 24, 2021
...1 more at 1.
Forced Fumbles 1 vs. Los Angeles Rams, Jan 23, 2022
Special Teams Tackles 1 vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Jan 16, 2022
Steelers signed free agent cornerback Jamel Dean
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Jamel Dean (35) during the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the Miami Dolphins Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Jamel Dean (35) breaks up a pass intended for Detroit Lions running back J.D. McKissic during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (35) faces Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Nelson Agholor (15) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Jeff Bottari)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley (18) is tackled by Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (35) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, in Atlanta. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won 31-27. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (35) breaks up a pass intended for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Quez Watkins (16) during the second half of an NFL wild-card football game Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (35) intercepts a pass in the end zone intended for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) in the fourth quarter during an NFL game, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022 in New Orleans. (Michael DeMocker via AP)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (35) breaks up a pass intended for Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (10) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (35) looks on from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (35) stops a New Orleans Saints player during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ella Hall)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (35) defends in the secondary during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov 30, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit)
