(Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
General manager Kevin Colbert made the rounds this week across multiple media outlets to talk about the Steelers 2022 draft class and the state of the organization. Colbert is retiring later this month after 22 years on the job. In an interview with Mark Madden on105.9 The X, Madden asked about Stephon Tuitt's status and Colbert said it's still a fluid situation.
Tuitt missed the entire 2021 season due to a knee injury. He was also dealing with a personal tragedy, as his brother, Richard Bartlett III, 23, was killed in a hit-and-run car accident in June.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bartlett died after he was struck by a car while trying to secure a mattress and box spring to the top of a vehicle along McGinnis Ferry Road about 9:30 p.m. on June 2. The hit-and-run remains under investigation.
“We met with him. Talked with him. He is still recovering from that knee injury that he had. He had that personal situation that he is working his way back through,” Colbert said. “We respect that and understand it. But we also understand that a season is approaching and a timetable is approaching, and we will continue to monitor it. We are very encouraged by our discussions. But, again, until we get up and running and he is a part of it, we’ll see how it goes.”
Tuitt is signed through 2022 and has a base salary of more than $9 million. His cap hit is over $13.975 after a restructuring last year pushed more of a cap hit into this season. According to overthecap.com,the Steelers will have $9,680,750 in dead cap space this year if Tuitt retires. It would also free up $4,295,000 in cap room.