In a shocking overnight move, the Pittsburgh Steelers have parted ways with a key defensive starter after Thursday Night Football’s heartbreaking 33-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. The decision stunned the AFC North contender.
The Steelers held a commanding 20-10 halftime edge, fueled by Aaron Rodgers’ sharp arm and a dominant front seven, but their secondary crumbled in the second half as Joe Flacco orchestrated a furious Bengals comeback with 342 passing yards.
Social media exploded post-game, with fans and analysts torching the cornerback position for repeated coverage breakdowns that allowed Ja’Marr Chase to feast for 161 yards and a touchdown, sealing Pittsburgh’s collapse.
Hall of Fame Bengals icon Anthony Muñoz, in a post-game chat alongside Steelers beat writers, subtly pointed to the culprit, saying the secondary’s “most glaring weak link got exposed worse than any Bengal I’ve ever blocked against.”
Muñoz added, “I’ve watched 40 years of tape—this guy’s 12 targets turned into 142 yards allowed; that’s not rust, that’s retirement material. Pittsburgh can’t afford that in a Super Bowl hunt.”
The flashpoint came midway through the third quarter: on a 45-yard bomb to Chase, the cornerback slipped in coverage, drawing an ignored pass interference flag and handing Cincinnati a 24-20 lead that never reversed.
Stats sealed the fate—eight completions on 12 targets against him, zero interceptions, and two penalties that extended Bengals drives. PFF graded his performance a dismal 28.5, lowest on the Steelers defense.
General Manager Omar Khan confirmed the release in a 2 a.m. statement, citing “immediate roster needs for playoff contention.” Donte Jackson, the 29-year-old veteran corner, now hits free agency as Pittsburgh scrambles for secondary reinforcements.
