NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero is reporting that the Pittsburgh Steelers are waiving kick/punt returner and wide receiver Gunner Olszewski.
His release comes after a year and a half of constant scrutiny ever since joining Pittsburgh. The 26 year old has unfortunately made constant gaffes and mistakes that have harmed his team, and arguably cost them games over his time with the Steelers.
A former All Pro return man for the New England Patriots, Gunner joined the Steelers as a free agent prior to the 2022 season. In just his second game as a Steeler, against his former team, Olszewski muffed a punt late in the game that was a major factor in why the Steelers lost.
He quickly lost his return man job to the upstart Steven Sims, who provided more reliable hands in the return game and had several electric moments in that role.
Gunner was still sparingly used as a receiver, being a part of 20% of the team’s offensive snaps. He caught 5 passes for 53 yards, including a 31-yard completion in the team’s Week 11 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Arguably, it’s his only Steelers highlight.
Gunner especially struggled this season, filling in occasionally in the return game with the injury to Anthony McFarland and the limited use of Desmond King, who has also since been released.
In Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, Olszewski infamously toe-tapped before catching a kickoff that was destined to go out of bounds. As a result, he negated the penalty assessed to a team for kicking the ball out of bounds, and cost the Steelers over 30 yards in field position for that.
In the same game, he was blown up on a hit, for where he fumbled the ball and the Browns recovered. He was concussed on the hit, missing the next few weeks.
Shortly after returning, in another divisional game, this time against the Baltimore Ravens, Gunner fumbled a punt return late in the game, giving the Ravens the ball in the red zone, and had it not been for Joey Porter Jr., would have cost the Steelers the game.
With the return of wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who has been on IR since Week 1, the Steelers needed to open a spot back up on the 53-man roster.
Gunner, with all his flaws, finds himself the odd man out, after weeks of fans calling for his release.
(Featured photo by Matt Durisko/AP)
Fifth Avenue Sports 
Leave a comment