The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed cornerback/safety Israel Mukuamu, per his agency. The Aura Sports Instagram account shared the news Wednesday evening.
The team has yet to confirm the signing and the corresponding move that would have to come with it, but it seems like that will occur before Thursday’s training camp practice.
Mukuamu is the second safety Pittsburgh’s added since training camp began in late July. He follows Rayshawn Jenkins, who signed earlier this month.
Injuries and rehab have thinned the Steelers’ safety group. Jalen Ramsey remains on Active/PUP with a knee injury suffered in the spring, and while he has been jogging on the side during practice, he doesn’t look poised to return in the coming days. DeShon Elliott has been a partial participant throughout training camp while working fully back from his severe 2025 knee and leg injury.
It’s left Pittsburgh with a young group of everyday options. Seventh round rookie Robert Spears-Jennings has served as first-team safety opposite Jaquan Brisker while Sebastian Castro and Jack Henderson have seen plenty of snaps with the backups. Undrafted rookie free agent Devan Boykin has also picked up occassional snaps in the back end.
A sixth round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2021, Mukuamu has familiarity with Mike McCarthy. Drafted in Dallas while McCarthy was head coach, Mukuamu appeared in 50 games for the Cowboys from 2021-2024. Over that time, he recorded 42 tackles with three interceptions, including a pair in 2024. He saw time on defense and special teams, logging 944 special teams snaps during his stint with Dallas.
Mukuamu spent 2025 with the Carolina Panthers and appeared in only one game while failing to see any defensive snaps. He bounced on and off the team’s practice squad throughout the season. He spent time with the UFL Columbus Aviators in the spring but was waived before the season began.
He has a background playing slot and outside corner in addition to playing safety. Last preseason, he logged 56 free safety snaps, 50 more in the box, with 19 outside corner snaps and 15 in the slot. In 2024, more than half his defensive snaps came at corner, slot or wide.
A large frame at 6041, 212 pounds with 34 inch arms, a hamstring injury prevented him from running his 40 during the pre-draft process. He recorded a 36.5 inch vertical and 9’11” broad jump. At South Carolina, Mukuamu recorded 86 career tackles and seven interceptions. He primarily played cornerback for the Gamecocks.
Our 2021 scouting report concluded:
“Overall, the length and physical tools are enticing for a player like Mukuamu, but his lack of long speed, lateral quickness, and refinement as a tackler raise some red flags concerning his immediate impact at the next level. Ideally you would like to see him in a press man scheme given his measurables, but his better fit may be as a Cover 2 player playing the ball in front of him with safety help overtop to avoid him getting beat deep.”
His last name is pronounced moo-KWAH-moo with Dallas coaches simply referring to him as “Izzy.”