In a corresponding move to the signing of safety Jalen Elliott on Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers waived safety Nate Meadors (hamstring) with an injury designation.
The Steelers signed Meadors to a reserve/future contract on Feb. 2, 2024. After playing in the spring league with the St. Louis Battlehawks, Meadors intended to play for them again in 2024 until he signed a reserve/future contract with the Steelers in February. After his stint with the BattleHawks, Meadors signed with the Cleveland Browns and spent two week on their practice squad. After his release in August, he remained un-signed until the Steelers picked him up in December.
Meadors turned heads at Steelers’ OTAs in the spring, recording at least one interception and five pass breakups. Meadors was considered a possible option to hold down the slot position during Cam Sutton’s eight-game suspension to start the season.
The areas that Meadors’ game flashed the most included his range and length. Those allow him to disrupt throwing windows from a single-high safety role at a high level. Additionally, he can cover tight ends and slot receivers due to his background as a cornerback.
“In college I played a lot of press-man so it was kind of hard to get my hands around the ball, I wasn’t really getting too many attempts at it” Meadors told Steelers Now. “Now that I play safety and really get to have my eyes on the quarterback, seeing the ball, I am able to make a lot more plays. … Naturally, everybody wants to go get interceptions but it is just about taking the effort to go get the ball.”
The Minnesota Vikings signed Nate Meadors as a undrafted free agent following the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent one season in Minnesota before he was released. The Jacksonville Jaguars signed him to their practice squad in 2020 and he was elevated for just one game before he was waived.
Meadors spent time on the Browns and the Eagles practice squads in 2021 and then on the Titans and Giants practice squads in 2022.
In his career, Meadors appeared in three games and has recorded two combined tackles.
Coming out of San Gorgonio High School in California, Nate Meadors committed to UCLA. In his first season with the Bruins, Meadors appeared in 10 games and even started two of them. His lone interception of the season helped seal a victory against Colorado.
Meadors became a full-time starter midway through the 2016 season and earned the job outright by the 2017 season. As a junior, Meadors started all 13 games for the Bruins and had his best collegiate season statistically. He tallied 55 tackles, one interception, a forced fumble and 10 defended passes.
Meadors appeared in 44 games for the Bruins and got credited with 150 total tackles, three interceptions and 22 defended passes.