A former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle is stepping back on the gridiron following a serious knee injury that sidetracked his career.
On Thursday, it was announced that Zach Banner had signed with the Houston Roughnecks of the United Football League. He’ll head to Arlington, Texas, and report for training camp, which officially opened on March 3.
The Roughnecks’ first game of the year will come at home against the St. Louis Battlehawks on March 28. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EST from TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas.
After twice earning All-Pac-12 honors at USC, Banner declared for the 2017 NFL Draft. After participating in the Senior Bowl and the scouting combine, the Indianapolis Colts selected him in the fourth round with the No. 137 overall pick.
Banner was cut before the start of the regular season as a rookie, however, and was claimed by the Cleveland Browns. He appeared in eight games for them and logged 45 snaps before being released in March 2018.
The Carolina Panthers claimed Banner, though they’d also part ways with him two months later in May.
The Steelers then signed him that August, but he did not suit up for a game despite remaining on the 53-man roster for the entire campaign.
Banner became more involved once the 2019 season came around, playing in 14 games and making the first start of his career in a Week 12 game against the Browns.
After signing a one-year deal worth $1.75 million, he entered 2020 as Pittsburgh’s primary right tackle. Banner would go down with a torn ACL in Week 1 versus the New York Giants, however, and miss the rest of the season.
He agreed to a two-year pact worth $9.5 million in 2021, though would only appear on the field for 35 total snaps in seven contests while dealing with swelling in his knee.
The Steelers released him in March 2022, which was the last stop in his football journey until the Roughnecks picked him up.
Banner has remained determined to make a comeback, and now he’ll have a shot to catch on in the UFL.