In the midst of organized team activities, the Pittsburgh Steelers' roster is undergoing a change. Defensive end Stephon Tuitt is returning from the NFL at 29 years of age.

Tuitt released a statement saying that he knows he is “being called to move beyond the sport of football” following the death of his brother, Richard, and completing his degree at Notre Dame. He thanked the Steelers' organization and his coaches and teammates.

Steelers general manager Omar Khan, who was officially named to the position just last week, thanked Tuitt for his contributions and stated that he organized is excited to see what he does in the future.

The Steelers drafted Tuitt 46th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. He played seven seasons with Pittsburgh, missing the entirety of last season as he dealt with the death of his brother in a hit-and-run. He registered 246 total tackles, 94 quarterback hits, 34.5 sacks (including a career-best 11.5 in 2020), 13 passes defended and six forced fumbles in 91 career games.

Tuitt is the latest football player to retire at a young age, joining the likes of Andrew Luck and Luke Kuechly. Fortunately for Tuitt, his retirement is not due to excessive injuries and is simply to be with his family more often.

Pittsburgh's defensive line will miss Tuitt for his run-stuffing skills but they still have T.J. Watt rushing the pass as well as Cam Heyward and Chris Wormley on the D-line. The Steelers also drafted defensive end DeMarvin Leal in the 2022 NFL Draft.