Former Steelers WR James Washington Attempting NFL Comeback

Call it a comeback for former Pittsburgh Steelers WR James Washington. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and an Instagram post from the free agent receiver, Washington is attempting to get back into the NFL after sitting out most of 2022 and all of 2023.

Per Fowler, Washington has received “multiple inquires” from teams and could sign soon.

A second round pick of the Steelers in 2018, Washington last played in 2022 as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. A foot fracture limited him to just two games during that season with the Cowboys, and he did not catch a pass. Washington then sat out of the entire 2023 season.

Now 28 years old, he’s trying to get into an NFL training camp. On Tuesday, he shared this Instagram post and video, announcing he was preparing for the “next step in my career.”

The video features a montage of his NFL highlights and current training, running and cutting at full speed, looking healthy overall.

“I was forgotten about. And I want to show the world I still have it,” he says in the video.

He even uses the Mike Tomlin-ism “there’s still a lot of meat left on that bone” in the clip. Washington also says he’s “stronger than ever” and notes he’s training five days each week. The clips were taken at the Abilene Fieldhouse in Texas.

Washington appeared in 60 games for the Steelers from 2018 to 2021, catching 114 passes for 1,629 yards and 11 touchdowns. His best year came in 2019 when he led the team with 735 yards and an impressive 16.7 yards per catch. But he slowly lost playing time and was overtaken by Chase Claypool. By 2021, Washington caught only 24 passes, though he has the distinction of being the last player to catch a Ben Roethlisberger touchdown, a 15-yard pass late in the team’s Wild Card loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

He returned close to home and signed with the Cowboys in 2022, but he suffered a foot fracture during training camp and missed most of the year. In 2023, he spent time with the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and Indianapolis Colts but failed to make a Week 1 roster and remained a free agent throughout the season.

Several Steelers shouted out Washington in the comments section of his Instagram video, including TE Pat Freiermuth. Former Steelers like WR Ryan Switzer and TE Xavier Grimble also commented. Pittsburgh does have a pair of open roster spots and released WR Denzel Mims, creating opportunity for a reunion, but there’s no reporting currently linking Washington and the Steelers back together.