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Roosevelt Nix

Former Steelers FB Roosevelt Nix Retires From NFL

July 14th, 2021 at 8:55am CST by Zachary Links

Former Steelers fullback Roosevelt Nix is calling it a career. Nix announced his retirement from the NFL with an Instagram post on Tuesday night. 

“This game has given me everything I could ask for and everything I needed. GOD blessed me with a talent that allowed me to touch so many souls all across the world and I’m truly grateful for it,” Nix wrote.

Nix, a defensive end at Kent State, first tried to break into the NFL as a linebacker. After going undrafted in 2014, he joined the Falcons on a three-year deal and switched to fullback. However, he didn’t see his first live action until 2015 with the Steelers.

Nix proceeded to appear in 60 games (11 starts) during his five seasons in Pittsburgh, serving primarily as a fullback and special teamer. He hauled in 12 receptions for 69 yards and one score across five seasons, plus two forced fumbles on special teams. The highlight of his career came in 2017, when he went to the Pro Bowl as James Develin‘s replacement.

Nix was named a Steelers captain prior to the 2019 season, but he was limited to only three games as he dealt with a knee injury. Last year, he signed with the Colts, but missed the final cut. After spending a full year out of the league, Nix has decided to move on to his next chapter.

Patriots Notes: Gilmore, Newton, Edelman

November 1st, 2020 at 11:41am CST by Rory Parks

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is usually tight-lipped when it comes to, well, just about everything, but he was quite candid in discussing his team’s struggles this season. The 2-4 Pats are in the midst of their first three-game losing streak since 2002, and Belichick suggested that one of his club’s goals in 2020 was to get right with the salary cap after years of heavy investments.

“This is kind of the year that we’ve taken to, I would say, adjust our cap from the spending that we’ve had in accumulation of prior years,” Belichick said (via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com). “We just haven’t been able to have the kind of depth on our roster that we’ve had in some other years.”

In addition to their league-leading eight COVID-19 opt-outs, the Pats are carrying about $26MM of dead cap charges this season, and as Reiss indicated back in March, the club’s financial picture in 2021 is much brighter. New England may be taking its lumps in 2020, but it is still lurking in the AFC East and is eyeing a major rebound next year.

Now for more out of Foxborough:

  • Stephon Gilmore‘s name has come up in trade rumors, but Reiss says the Pats are not actively shopping their star corner, which is consistent with what we heard several days ago. However, the ESPN scribe suggests that Belichick could be willing to listen if a rival club were to offer a first- or second-round draft choice. Assuming that does not happen, then Gilmore is likely to finish out the season with New England. The two sides would need to address his contract situation at that point, as Gilmore is under club control through 2021 and will be seeking a healthy extension.
  • As of this writing, the Patriots have not done much to suggest that they will be sellers at this week’s trade deadline, but if they fall to the division-rival Bills today, that could change, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com confirms.
  • QB Cam Newton was benched in a blowout loss to the 49ers last week, and though the time he missed due to COVID-19 certainly could explain his recent struggles, the Pats are still alarmed by the number of mistakes he’s making, per Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (video link). While Newton’s job is not in imminent danger, he could lose the starting gig if he does not turn it around soon.
  • New England’s WR depth chart, which is already quite thin, took another hit when Julian Edelman was placed on IR with a knee injury. Belichick said he expects the veteran pass catcher to be back this season, but several people close to Edelman have their doubts, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). Edelman’s knee has been bothering him for awhile, and although his recent surgery helped alleviate some discomfort, the knee is still bone-on-bone. The Pats could save $4MM against the cap by moving on from the 34-year-old at season’s end, and one wonders if he might have played his last game for New England.
  • In an effort to bolster their WR group, the Pats plan to have veteran wideout Donte Moncrief come in for a workout, per Reiss (via Twitter). The former third-rounder has generally struggled to live up to expectations in his career, and he was recently released off the Jets’ practice squad. Given Gang Green’s own receiver issues, that’s not a good sign, but Moncrief is only 27 and still possesses plenty of physical tools.
  • In addition to Moncrief, the Pats are also bringing in fellow WR Darius Jennings and DT Ryan Glasgow, according to Reiss. Albert Breer of SI.com says the team recently hosted FB Roosevelt Nix (Twitter link).

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/1/20

September 1st, 2020 at 5:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Waived: K Elliott Fry

Colts Sign FB Roosevelt Nix

April 11th, 2020 at 9:42am CST by Ben Levine

The Colts are adding a former Pro Bowler. Indy is signing fullback Roosevelt Nix, according to Joel A Erickson of the Indy Star (via Twitter). ESPN’s Jordan Schultz (on Twitter) was first with the news.

The former Kent State defensive end initially switched to linebacker to boost his draft stock, but Nix still went undrafted in 2014. After joining the Falcons on a three-year deal, he switched to the offensive side of the ball, changing his position to fullback. However, he didn’t end up catching on with Atlanta, as he was released during his first preseason with the team.

Following a brief stint in the AFL, Nix signed a reserve/futures deal with the Steelers in 2015. He proceeded to appear in 60 games (11 starts) during his five seasons in Pittsburgh, serving primarily as a fullback and special teamer. He’s hauled in 12 career receptions for 69 yards and one score, and he has 34 career tackles and two forced fumbles. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2017, replacing James Develin on the AFC roster.

Nix was named a Steelers captain prior to the 2019 season, but he was limited to only three games as he dealt with a knee injury. He ended up getting cut by the organization back in March.

Known mostly as a blocking fullback, Nix will be protecting the likes of Marlon Mack, Nyheim Hines, and Jordan Wilkins next season.

Steelers Release Roosevelt Nix

March 18th, 2020 at 3:45pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Steelers are getting rid of a stalwart of the past handful of years. Pittsburgh has released fullback Roosevelt Nix, they announced in a release.

Nix appeared in only three games this past season due to injury, but before that had operated as their fullback for the previous four seasons. In 2017 he played more than 16 percent of the offensive snaps, and made the Pro Bowl. His offensive snaps were reduced in 2018, but he continued to play a key role on special teams. Before the start of last year, he was voted a special teams captain by his teammates.

A Kent State product, he originally signed with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2014 but failed to stick. He then latched on with the Steelers and made the team. He eventually earned a four-year, $6.975MM extension after the 2017 season, although he’ll end up only having made it through half of that pact.

Steelers Designate Nix, Switzer For Return

December 26th, 2019 at 9:21am CST by Zachary Links

The Steelers have designated fullback Roosevelt Nix and wide receiver Ryan Switzer for return from injured reserve. Both players are eligible to practice starting today.

[RELATED: Big Ben Vows To Return]

The door also opens for them to play in the postseason, if the Steelers qualify. If the Steelers beat the Ravens in Week 17 and the Titans lose to the Texans, they’re in. There are also a few other scenarios that could extend their season.

Nix, 27, is still in the midst of the four-year, $6.975MM extension he inked with the team after his 2017 Pro Bowl campaign. So far this year, he’s appeared in just three games.

Switzer, 25, has been traded twice in his young career. The most recent deal shipped him from Oakland to Pittsburgh, where he’s appeared in nine games. In 2019, he’s caught eight passes for 27 yards while handling some kick and punt returns.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/14/19

November 14th, 2019 at 6:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers

North Notes: Packers, Lions, Ansah, Steelers

February 14th, 2018 at 1:18pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Now that the Packers seemingly have their backfield set for the foreseeable future, they could consider moving Ty Montgomery back to wide receiver, opines Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Montgomery moved to running back late in the 2016 campaign, and entered last season as Green Bay’s starter. However, as some had predicted, Montgomery wasn’t able to hold up as a full-time runner, and managed only 71 carries on the season. The Packers drafted three running backs in 2017, and two of them — Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones — gave early indications that they can become the foundation of a solid rushing attack. Green Bay’s wide receiving corps is less stable, however, as Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb could conceivably be asked to accept a pay cut or be released. Montgomery, then, would give the club another option at wideout as he enters his contract season. A third-round selection in the 2015 draft, Montgomery is now eligible for an extension and is projected to hit the open market in 2018.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • The Lions should use the franchise tag on pending free agent defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, argues Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Although the franchise tender for defensive ends is extremely expensive (at a projected $17.5MM cost, the DE tag is second only to the quarterback tender), it would give Detroit several options regarding Ansah’s long-term future. Not only would the tag allow the Lions to see if Ansah can double-down on his 12-sack 2017 campaign, but the club would get an additional season to gauge the production of fellow defensive ends Kerry Hyder and Anthony Zettel. Additionally, a franchise tag doesn’t mean Detroit can’t reach an extension with Ansah — if he’s tagged, Ansah will have until July to hammer out a long-term deal with the Lions. NFL teams can begin deploying the franchise tender on February 20, and have until March 6 to formally utilize the tag.
  • Though he had been scheduled to become a restricted free agent this offseason, Steelers fullback Roosevelt Nix inked a four-year extension last week, the details of which salary cap guru Ian Whetstone has now provided (via Twitter). All told, Nix’s new deal is worth $6.975MM and contains $1.5MM guaranteed (all in the form of a signing bonus). His 2018 cap charge will be $1.437MM, which is roughly $500K cheaper than the lowest RFA tender. So while Nix will receive a slightly reduced base salary next season, he’s picking up guarantees that otherwise wouldn’t have been available.
  • In case you missed it, the Bengals are expected to prioritize extensions for defensive tackle Geno Atkins and defensive end Carlos Dunlap this offseason. Both defenders are entering the final year of their respective contracts.

Steelers Sign FB Roosevelt Nix To Extension

February 10th, 2018 at 12:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Roosevelt Nix is staying in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future. The Steelers announced that they have signed the fullback to a four-year extension. The deal will keep the 25-year-old with the organization through Roosevelt Nixthe 2021 season.

Following four seasons as a linebacker at Kent State, Nix joined the Falcons after going undrafted during the 2014 draft. He didn’t catch on as a fullback, and he ultimately landed with the AFL’s Cleveland Gladiators. He eventually signed with the Steelers in 2015, and he’s proceeded to appear in 41 games (nine starts) since that time.

Nix earned a Pro Bowl birth this past season after playing a major role in Le’Veon Bell‘s productive campaign. Nix finished the season with zero rushing yards on three carries, and he added a pair of receptions for six yards and one touchdown. Nix also compiled 10 special teams tackles.

Steelers To Re-Sign Roosevelt Nix

January 26th, 2017 at 2:22pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Exclusive rights free agent Roosevelt Nix is re-signing with the Steelers, his agent, Bill Parise, told Jacob Klinger of PennLive.com. Nix will ink a one-year deal worth $615K – a mild increase over the $525K he made in 2016.

Roosevelt Nix

Nix, 24, originally signed with the Falcons as an undrafted linebacker in 2014. The ex-Kent State Golden Flash switched to fullback in an effort to make the team, but it didn’t work. Nix then spent some of the 2014 season in the Arena Football League before catching on as a fullback in Pittsburgh in 2015.

Nix has only received four touches – all receptions – in two years as a Steeler, though he has appeared in 25 regular-season games and amassed five starts. He was in on 9.2 percent of the Steelers’ offensive snaps and 38.2 percent of their special teams plays in 2016. If Nix makes the team again next season, indications are he’ll continue to block for star running back Le’Veon Bell – albeit on a limited basis.

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