The Steelers signed free agent linebacker Cole Holcomb to a two-year contract.
Holcomb originally signed with the Steelers in 2023 as an unrestricted free agent and has had a rough road injury-wise early in his Steelers career.
He started the first eight games in 2023, recording 54 tackles, including 31 solo stops, four tackles for a loss, and two passes defensed, before suffering a devastating season-ending knee injury.
The injury forced Holcomb to miss the entire 2024 season as he went through rehab.
He beat the odds, returning in 2025 and appeared in 14 games, starting three. He had 28 tackles, 18 of them solo stops, a forced fumble and nine special teams tackles.
Holcomb was honored in 2025 at the Steelers Ed Block Courage Award recipient which was voted on by his teammates, and is given to a player who has shown courage either coming back from an injury or a life-altering situation.
For his career, Holcomb has appeared in 72 games, starting 59. He has 464 tackles, 282 solo stops, and 19 tackles for a loss. He has added four and a half sacks, 12 passes defensed, three interceptions, eight forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Holcomb spent four seasons with the Washington Commanders (2019-2022) after they drafted him in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
He played in 50 games in Washington, starting 48 of them. He recorded 382 tackles, including 233 solo stops, and 15 tackles for a loss. He had four and a half sacks, three interceptions, including one for a touchdown, and 10 passes defensed. He also had nine quarterback hits, five forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Holcomb, who was a defensive captain for the Commanders his final season there, had his 2022 season cut short when he suffered a foot injury that required season ending surgery. Before suffering the injury, he played in seven games, recording 69 tackles, 37 of them solo stops, and one pass defensed.
He has his best season in 2021, starting all 16 games and finishing with 142 tackles, 83 of them solo stops, and two interceptions.
Holcomb played collegiately at North Carolina, 2015-18, where he was a former walk-on. Holcomb had 328 tackles in college and was a second-team All-ACC selection his senior year.
COLE HOLCOMB SINGLE-GAME HIGHS:
Total Tackles 16 vs. Tennessee Titans, Oct 09, 2022
15 at Buffalo Bills, Sep 26, 2021
13 vs. Detroit Lions, Nov 24, 2019
12 at Chicago Bears, Oct 13, 2022
11 at New York Giants, Jan 09, 2022
...3 more at 11.
Solo Tackles 11 vs. Tennessee Titans, Oct 09, 2022
10 at Buffalo Bills, Sep 26, 2021
9 vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Oct 17, 2021
8 vs. Baltimore Ravens, Oct 08, 2023
8 vs. New England Patriots, Oct 06, 2019
Sacks 1.0 vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Oct 17, 2021
1.0 vs. Carolina Panthers, Dec 27, 2020
...2 more at 1.0.
Passes Defensed 2 at Las Vegas Raiders, Dec 05, 2021
1 vs. Baltimore Ravens, Oct 08, 2023
1 at Las Vegas Raiders, Sep 24, 2023
...8 more at 1.
Forced Fumbles 1 vs. Cleveland Browns, Sep 18, 2023
1 vs. San Francisco 49ers, Sep 10, 2023
...5 more at 1.
Fumble Recoveries 1 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, Oct 29, 2023
1 vs. Seattle Seahawks, Nov 29, 2021
Tackles For Loss 2 at Philadelphia Eagles, Sep 08, 2019
1 at Los Angeles Rams, Oct 22, 2023
1 vs. Baltimore Ravens, Oct 08, 2023
...15 more at 1.
Interceptions 1 vs. Dallas Cowboys, Dec 12, 2021
1 vs. New Orleans Saints, Oct 10, 2021
...1 more at 1.
Interception Return Yards 31 vs. Dallas Cowboys, Dec 12, 2021
23 vs. New Orleans Saints, Oct 10, 2021
Special Teams Tackles 2 vs. Minnesota Vikings, Sep 28, 2025
2 at Green Bay Packers, Dec 08, 2019
1 at Detroit Lions, Dec 21, 2025
...9 more at 1.
