(Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
After being released by the Jaguars on Tuesday in a cap-saving move, inside linebacker Myles Jack was signed by the Steelers to a two-year, $16 million deal on Wednesday afternoon. Jack said things went quickly for him and his conversation with Mike Tomlin sealed the deal. Tomlin told Jack they wanted to win a championship with a strong defense and he could be a part of that.
“Obviously the individual players, they're household names," Jack said about playing on the Steelers defense during a Zoom interview on Thursday afternoon with the media. "But the organization, the history behind it, the expectations, the mentality you have to have to be a part of this."
Jack, 26, started 82 of 88 games since being selected by the Jaguars in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. In his six-year career, Jack has recorded 513 total tackles (335 solos), 6.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, 17 quarterback hits, 15 passes defended, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and two touchdowns (one pick-six and one fumble recovery).
Jack produced more than 100 tackles in three of the past four seasons with the Jaguars. In 2019, Jack was rewarded a four-year, $57-million contract in 2019.
While Jack had personal success, the teams he played on in Jacksonville were mostly pretty awful. Minus the 2017 season when the Jaguars made it to the AFC Championship Game, Jack was on losing teams. Jack is looking forward to a fresh start with the Steelers.
“I'm excited to be in a new situation. I'm excited to be uncomfortable again," Jack said. "I’m excited to be in a new city, where I have to prove myself to the fans.”
Jack is also looking forward to being coached by senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach Brian Flores.
“It was amazing what he did last year," Jack said about Flores leading the Dolphins to their first back-to-back winning seasons since 2002-2003. “After I told coach Tomlin we were going to make it happen, I talked to coach Flores and we both came to the agreement that we both have something to prove … I feel like we vibed off of that connection.”
Jack revealed that he was recruited by Cam Heyward and mentioned that Heyward texted him before the deal was even done. He also said he's a fan of Devin Bush and said he's going to call Bush later today and talk about what they can do as an inside linebacker duo. "I can't wait to race him to the ball."
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