ICYMI: Former Penn State QB Trace McSorley finds NFL home in PA

Trace McSorley has bounced around the NFL for a few years. A 2019 late-round draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens, it seemed that McSorley would pretty much be a career backup QB. The former Penn State Nittany Lion spent three seasons in Baltimore before becoming a journeyman. McSorley was called into various games for the Ravens due to injuries. His first touchdown pass came against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2020 season, a 70-yard heave to Marquise Brown.

However, McSorley did not make his first and only NFL start until the 2021 season with the Arizona Cardinals. Starter Kyler Murray and backup Colt McCoy went down with injuries, so McSorley stepped in for Arizona’s week 16 tilt with Tampa Bay. He has spent time since then bouncing around practice squads. However, he now has a shot back in Pennsylvania.

Trace McSorley signed to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad

During the Pittsburgh Steelers’ week 13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, starting QB Kenny Pickett exited with an injury. Head coach Mike Tomlin later confirmed the severity of the injury during his weekly press conference. Pickett would have surgery to repair a high-ankle sprain and would miss 2-4 weeks. In Pickett’s absence, backup QB Mitch Trubisky will be the starter.

However, the Steelers will need to have a third QB ready in case of emergency. The team announced the signing of Trace McSorley to their practice squad on December 4th. The Penn State product will sit behind Trubisky and Mason Rudolph on the depth chart. He has a shot to be elevated to the active roster ahead of Pittsburgh’s matchup with the New England Patriots tonight.

The Steelers will be the third team that McSorley has played for in 2023. He was with New England throughout training camp, and then Chicago for a short month in October-November. He was a practice squad member for both. McSorley has seen game action 9 times and is 48-93 for 502 yards, 1 touchdown, and 5 interceptions.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!