After being cut by the Kansas City Chiefs less than a week ago, La’Mical Perine has already secured a spot in the NFL. Perine’s agent has announced that the veteran running back has signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Perine, 26, is the cousin of Broncos running back Samaje Perine and former Steelers linebacker Myles Jack. Perine was a fourth-round selection in 2020 and played for the Jets for his first two seasons before being promoted to the Chiefs practice squad in 2022.
Perine was not very active in his time with the Chiefs, but he did have one opportunity to start the team’s final 2023 regular season game. In the Chiefs’ 13-12 loss to the Chargers, he had a strong day, rushing for 77 yards and hauling in three passes for 33 yards.
During his four seasons as a college player at Florida, Perine averaged five yards per rush and scored thirty touchdowns. In just 13 rushes, Perine ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns in his last collegiate game, helping the Gators defeat Virginia in the Orange Bowl.
Perine isn’t particularly quick, but his outstanding agility makes him difficult to take down in open areas. Additionally, he possesses strong vision and strength, which can allow him to extract more from a play than was first anticipated.
