The Steelers signed safety Darnell Savage to a one-year contract.
Savage has appeared in 88 games, with 82 starts, in his first seven seasons in the NFL. He has spent time with the Green Bay Packers (2019-23), Jacksonville Jaguars (2024-25), Washington Commanders (2025) and Buffalo Bills (2025)
He was drafted by the Packers in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the 21st overall selection.
Savage has 10 career interceptions, returned for 141 yards (14.1-yard average), including one for a touchdown. He also has 367 tackles, including 273 solo stops, 40 passes defensed, 11 tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one sack.
In 2025, Savage spent time with the Jaguars, Commanders and Bills. He appeared in a total of 12 games combined, finishing the season with 25 tackles, including 18 solo stops, three passes defensed and a forced fumble.
Savage signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent in 2024 and started all 13 games he played in that season. He finished with 51 tackles, 41 solo stops, six passes defensed, two tackles for a loss and an interception.
In his final season with the Packers, Savage started all 10 games he appeared in. He finished the regular season with 50 tackles, 35 of them solo stops, a tackle for a loss and a pass defensed. In the NFC Wild Card game, he intercepted Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and returned it 64 yards for a touchdown, the fourth longest interception return in Packers postseason history.
Savage was sixth on the Packers in tackles in 2022, finishing the year with 57, including 42 solo stops, and was tied for fourth on the team with five passes defensed. He also recorded his first interception return for a touchdown, when he picked off Kirk Cousins and took it 75 yards for the score.
Savage started all 17 games in 2021, recorded 63 tackles, 48 of them solo stops, two interceptions, nine passes defensed and two tackles for a loss.
In 2020, Savage started all 15 games he appeared in, leading the Packers with four interceptions, all in the final six weeks of the season, and tied in the NFL for fifth among safeties. He was ranked fourth on the team with 75 tackles, 56 of them solo stops, and three tackles for a loss. He also had a sack and fumble recovery.
Savage started all 14 games he appeared in his rookie season in 2019, finishing the year with 61 tackles, 41 of them solo stops, a tackle for a loss, seven passes defensed, two interceptions and a team-high two forced fumbles. He was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team. He started both of the Packers postseason games, finishing with 12 tackles, nine solo stops, and a tackle for a loss.
Savage played college football at Maryland where he played in 46 games, starting 37. He recorded 182 tackles, including 139 solo stops, eight interceptions, two which he returned for a touchdown and 22 passes defensed.
In a related move, the Steelers released defensive back Makari Paige.
DARNELL SAVAGE'S SINGLE-GAME HIGHS:
Total Tackles
11 vs. Detroit Lions, Jan 08, 2023
10 at Chicago Bears, Jan 03, 2021
Solo Tackles
8 at Chicago Bears, Jan 03, 2021
8 at Detroit Lions, Dec 13, 2020
Sacks
1.0 at Detroit Lions, Dec 13, 2020
Passes Defensed
3 vs. Tennessee Titans, Dec 27, 2020
2 vs. New York Jets, Dec 15, 2024
...7 more at 2.
Forced Fumbles
1 vs. Washington Redskins, Dec 08, 2019
1 vs. Minnesota Vikings, Sep 15, 2019
Fumble Recoveries
1 at Indianapolis Colts, Nov 22, 2020
Tackles For Loss
1 vs. Minnesota Vikings, Nov 10, 2024
1 at Chicago Bears, Sep 10, 2023
...8 more at 1.
Interceptions
2 vs. Chicago Bears, Nov 29, 2020
1 vs. Minnesota Vikings, Nov 10, 2024
...7 more at 1.
Interception Return Yards
28 at New York Giants, Dec 01, 2019
9 vs. Tennessee Titans, Dec 27, 2020
...1 more at 9.
Special Teams Tackles
1 vs. New Orleans Saints, Sep 24, 2023
1 vs. Los Angeles Rams, Dec 19, 2022
