Steelers sign 39.5-inch vertical leap athletic star to new contract

Billy Heyen

Steelers sign 39.5-inch vertical leap athletic star to new contract image

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers added quite the athlete to their organization on Monday.

His name is Jack Henderson, and he has signed with the Steelers' practice squad, according to transactions reporter Aaron Wilson.

Henderson is an undrafted rookie who put up fantastic numbers in the pre-draft process.

He vertical leaped 39.5 inches, broad jumped 10-foot-8 and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds.

Henderson measures up at 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds.

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He began his college career with three seasons at Southeastern Louisiana. Then he transferred and played two more seasons at the University of Minnesota.

Henderson was a playmaker for the Golden Gophers. In 2024, he had 6.0 sacks.

He spent his summer with the Carolina Panthers, but they didn't keep him after three preseason games for them.

Henderson then joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad, but he was released on Sept. 23 without being elevated to appear in a game.

Now he's got his third stop of his rookie campaign, and he'll try to prove to the Steelers that his strong athletic traits can translate on the field. It's not a bad flier for Pittsburgh to take.

The Steelers have a full practice squad with this move. Henderson might not be called up to the gameday roster soon, but his first task will be to prove he belongs and stick around long enough to get a bigger chance.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle