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Tyson Alualu is not going to Jacksonville after all. After initially agreeing to terms with the Jaguars, veteran defensive lineman Tyson Alualu had a change of heart and now is re-signing with the Steelers on a two-year deal, according to Tom Pelisserro of the NFL Network.
Pelissero also states that Alualu was going to sign with the Jaguars, but couldn't make the trip after testing positive for COVID-19. Alualu has built his dream home in Pittsburgh and has kids in school. After thinking it over, he decided to stay with the Steelers.
This is really good news for the Steelers as they don't have a true replacement at nose tackle and they've already lost four starters on defense from last year in Bud Dupree, Mike Hilton, Vince Williams and Steven Nelson through free agency or release.
According to Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, teammates did some heavy recruiting for Alualu to come back while he was weighing his options to stay in Pittsburgh or go to Jacksonville. Fittipaldo also states that the Jaguars had the better offer and that Alualu signed for the offer the Steelers originally had on the table. It wasn't a money decision for Alualu and was more about his family building a home in Pittsburgh and his kids established in school.
Defensive line coach Karl Dunbar also played a big role in convincing Alualu to stay in Pittsburgh, according to Aditi Kninkabwala of the NFL Network.
In his four years with the Steelers, Alualu played 62 games and started 22. He compiled 140 total tackles, 75 of them being solos, seven sacks, 16 quarterback hits, 16 tackles for losses, two forced fumbles and eight passes defended. Alualu had his best year with the Steelers last season at the age of 33 when he started at nose tackle, recording 38 total tackles, 17 of them being solos, two sacks, four tackles for losses, five quarterback hits, five passes defended and one forced fumble.
Alualu was the 10th overall pick by the Jaguars in the 2010 NFL Draft and has been with the Steelers since 2017.
Cameron Heyward, Joe Haden and T.J. Watt have expressed their joy on social media in seeing the news that Alualu re-signed with the Steelers on a two-year deal.