Alex Highsmith

PRO CAREER

• Has played in 77 games (66 starts) in his five-year NFL career (Pittsburgh 2020-24)
• Has registered 281 tackles (172 solo), 49 tackles for loss, 35.5 sacks, 72 quarterback hits, three interceptions, seven passes defensed, nine forced fumbles and one interception return for TD
• Has recorded six tackles (four solo) on special teams
• His interception return for TD in Week 2 of 2023 vs. Cleveland came nine seconds into the game, which was the fastest TD to open a game for the Steelers since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger
• First Steelers player to record an interception on the first play from scrimmage in a game since William Gay in 2014
• In Pittsburgh's victory over Cleveland in Week 2 of 2023, Highsmith and T.J. Watt both recorded a sack and defensive TD -- becoming the first pair of teammates to each post a sack and TD in the same game since 1982, when the sack became an official statistic
• Since 2020, only one team has had three players with at least 26.5 sacks, 59 quarterback hits and 40 tackles for loss (Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward and Alex Highsmith)
• Only player in the NFL in 2023 with at least 7.0 sacks and two interceptions
• One of just three players in the League with at least 7.0 sacks and two interceptions in a season since entering the NFL in 2020
• His 21.5 sacks are the 12th-most in the NFL since the start of the 2022 season
• His seven forced fumbles are tied for the second-most in the NFL since the start of the 2022 season
• His six strip sacks are tied for the second-most in the NFL since the start of the 2022 season
• Has recorded 24.5 sacks in his last 37 games, dating back to Week 16 of the 2021 season, which is the 12th-most in the NFL over the span
• Has recorded seven strip sacks in his last 37 games, dating back to Week 16 of the 2021 season, which is the second-most in the NFL over the span
• Has registered eight forced fumbles in his last 37 games, dating back to Week 16 of the 2021 season, which is the second-most in the NFL over the span
• Has recorded seven multi-sack games in his career
• Made NFL debut in Week 1 of 2020 (at N.Y. Giants)
• Made NFL starting debut in Week 13 of 2020 (vs. Washington)

PRO CAREER

• Has played in 77 games (66 starts) in his five-year NFL career (Pittsburgh 2020-24)
• Has registered 281 tackles (172 solo), 49 tackles for loss, 35.5 sacks, 72 quarterback hits, three interceptions, seven passes defensed, nine forced fumbles and one interception return for TD
• Has recorded six tackles (four solo) on special teams
• His interception return for TD in Week 2 of 2023 vs. Cleveland came nine seconds into the game, which was the fastest TD to open a game for the Steelers since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger
• First Steelers player to record an interception on the first play from scrimmage in a game since William Gay in 2014
• In Pittsburgh's victory over Cleveland in Week 2 of 2023, Highsmith and T.J. Watt both recorded a sack and defensive TD -- becoming the first pair of teammates to each post a sack and TD in the same game since 1982, when the sack became an official statistic
• Since 2020, only one team has had three players with at least 26.5 sacks, 59 quarterback hits and 40 tackles for loss (Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward and Alex Highsmith)
• Only player in the NFL in 2023 with at least 7.0 sacks and two interceptions
• One of just three players in the League with at least 7.0 sacks and two interceptions in a season since entering the NFL in 2020
• His 21.5 sacks are the 12th-most in the NFL since the start of the 2022 season
• His seven forced fumbles are tied for the second-most in the NFL since the start of the 2022 season
• His six strip sacks are tied for the second-most in the NFL since the start of the 2022 season
• Has recorded 24.5 sacks in his last 37 games, dating back to Week 16 of the 2021 season, which is the 12th-most in the NFL over the span
• Has recorded seven strip sacks in his last 37 games, dating back to Week 16 of the 2021 season, which is the second-most in the NFL over the span
• Has registered eight forced fumbles in his last 37 games, dating back to Week 16 of the 2021 season, which is the second-most in the NFL over the span
• Has recorded seven multi-sack games in his career
• Made NFL debut in Week 1 of 2020 (at N.Y. Giants)
• Made NFL starting debut in Week 13 of 2020 (vs. Washington)

2024 (STEELERS)

• Played in 11 regular-season games (11 starts)
• Registered 45 tackles (28 solo), 13 quarterback hits, nine tackles for loss, one forced fumbles, 6.0 sacks and two passes defensed
• Recorded a season-high 2.0 sacks Week 8 versus the Giants
• Recorded one forced fumble Week 16 versus the Ravens

2023 (STEELERS)

• Played in all 17 regular-season games (17 starts)
• Registered 57 tackles (34 solo), 18 quarterback hits, eight tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, 7.0 sacks, three passes defensed, two interceptions and one interception return for TD
• His interception return for TD in Week 2 2023 vs. Cleveland came nine seconds into the game, which was the fastest TD to open a game for the Steelers since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger
• First Steelers player to record an interception on the first play from scrimmage in a game since William Gay in 2014
• In Pittsburgh's victory over Cleveland in Week 2 of 2023, Highsmith and T.J. Watt both recorded a sack and defensive TD -- becoming the first pair of teammates to each post a sack and TD in the same game since 1982, when the sack became an official statistic
• Only player in the NFL in 2023 with at least 7.0 sacks and two interceptions
• Recorded one tackle (one solo), one quarterback hit, one tackle for loss, one interception and 1.0 sack in Week 16 vs. Cincinnati
• Registered two games with at least 1.0 sack, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit and one interception (Week 2 vs. Cleveland and Week 16 vs. Cincinnati)
• Recorded four tackles (two solo), 2.0 sacks, two tackles for loss and a career-high five QB hits in Week 9 vs. Tennessee
• His five QB hits were tied for the most in a game in the NFL in 2023
• His five QB hits are tied for the sixth-most in a game by a Steelers player since 2001
• One of five players to register 2.0 sacks, two tackles for loss and five QB hits in the same game
• Registered two tackles (two solo), 1.0 sack, one forced fumble and one strip sack in Week 5 vs. Baltimore
• Recorded seven tackles (five solo), 1.0 sack, one strip sack, one forced fumble, two quarterback hits, one tackle for loss, one interception and one pass defensed in Week 2 vs. Cleveland
• Picked off Deshaun Watson on the Browns' first offensive play of the game and returned 30 yards for a TD, which marked the first interception return for TD since Week 1 of 2022 (Minkah Fitzpatrick at Cincinnati) and first interception return for TD by a linebacker since Week 8 of 2020 (Robert Spillane at Baltimore)
• Marked the first interception return for TD at home since Week 12 of 2020 (Joe Haden vs. Baltimore) and first interception return for TD at home by a linebacker since Week 14 of 2010 (LaMarr Woodley vs. Cincinnati)

2022 (STEELERS)

• Played in 16 regular-season games (16 starts)
• Registered 63 tackles (38 solo), 20 quarterback hits, 12 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles, 14.5 sacks and one pass defensed
• Ranked first on the team in sacks and forced fumbles
• Ranked second on the team in tackles for loss and quarterback hits
• His 14.5 sacks were tied for sixth-most in the NFL, fourth-most in the AFC and fifth-most in single-season franchise history
• His five forced fumbles were tied for first in the League
• His four strip sacks were tied for second-most in the League
• Registered career highs in sacks (3.0) and quarterback hits (four) in Week 1 at Cincinnati
• Added on nine tackles (six solo), two tackles for loss and a forced fumble that was recovered by DT Cameron Heyward in Week 1 at Cincinnati
• Recorded the fifth multi-sack game of his career with 1.5 in Week 3 at Cleveland, along with eight tackles (six solo), two quarterback hits and two tackles for loss
• Strip sacked QB Tom Brady in a Week 6 victory vs. Tampa Bay
• Was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 10 vs. New Orleans where he registerered five tackles (three solo), 2.0 sacks, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit and one forced fumble
• Notched his fourth strip sack of the season in Week 12 at Indianapolis
• Took down QB Deshaun Watson for 2.5 sacks in the season finale vs. Cleveland along with eight tackles (six solo), two tackles for loss and three quarterback hits

2021 (STEELERS)

• Played in 16 regular-season games (16 starts)
• Registered career highs in tackles (74 total, 46 solo) and tackles for loss (15)
• Added on 15 quarterback hits, 6.0 sacks and one forced fumble
• Inactive due to a groin injury in Week 3 vs Cincinnati
• Registered the first multi-sack game of his career with 1.5 takedowns of QB Geno Smith in Week 6 vs Seattle and repeated the feat in Week 11 at the Los Angeles Chargers
• Recorded the first game of his career with double-digit tackles (11) in Week 10 vs Detroit
• Left the Week 14 game at Minnesota with a hamstring injury and did not return
• Notched the first strip sack of his career on QB Patrick Mahomes in Week 16 at Kansas City
• Recorded a career-high 2.0 sacks in Week 17 vs Cleveland

2020 (STEELERS)

• Played in 16 games (five starts)
• Registered 42 tackles, 26 solo stops, five tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, six quarterback hits, one interception and one pass defensed
• Recorded six tackles (four solo) on special teams
• Reached a career high in special-teams tackles with three in Week 6 vs. Cleveland
• Recorded the first sack of his career in Week 9 at Dallas
• Entered the starting lineup in Week 13 vs. Washington
• Intercepted his first career pass in Week 8 at Baltimore

COLLEGE

• Four-year letterwinner at Charlotte (2015-19)
• Owns school records for sacks in a game (4.5), season (14.0) and career (20.0) and tackles for loss in a game (5.0) and season (21.5)
• Ranks second in school history with 46.0 tackles for loss and fifth with 185 career tackles
• 2020 NFL Combine participant
• Named to the 2020 NFL All-Combine Team as an edge rusher
• 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl
• 2019 Third Team All-America by both AP and Pro Football Focus
• First 49er to earn all-America honors
• 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl
• 2018 and 2019 First Team All-Conference USA (coaches)
• First 49er to be named first-team All-C-USA twice
• 2019 First Team All-C-USA by PFF and Phil Steele
• Ranked fourth in the nation in sacks (14.0) and fifth in tackles for loss (21.5) in 2019
• Named to PFF's 2019 All-Draft Stock Team for those players whose draft stock rose the most this season
• Starting DE in 49ers' first-ever bowl game (2019 Bahamas Bowl)
• 2019 Team Captain
• 2019 Chuck Bednarik Award (Defensive Player of the Year) Watch List
• 2019 Burlsworth Trophy Semifinalist
• 2018 first-team all-C-USA by PFF and second team by Phil Steele
• Joined the 49ers for the 2015 season as a walk-on
• Earned scholarship during the summer of 2017
• Graduated with a degree in exercise science

PERSONAL

• Attended Eugene Ashley High School (Wilmington, North Carolina)
• Parents are Sam and Pam Highsmith
• Has a sister, Lauryn
• A/B Honor Roll throughout high school
• National Honor Society
• Also played basketball and baseball