Pittsburgh Steelers OL Derwin Gray in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 28, 2020. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Derwin Gray recently reflected on his time with the Steelers. Gray also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Birmingham Stallions of the UFL and the BC Lions of the CFL in his career, but his experience with the Steelers was by far superior.
“Pittsburgh was the best team I ever played for. And it still is today,” Gray said in a recent interview of The Katie Black Show. “Pittsburgh is the best organization. It had a lot of veteran people there. When I say veteran, not just veterans on the field, but veterans off the field. They took care of their bodies. The way they treated their wives.
“The way they would actually [be[ just loyal to not just themselves, but loyal to their family. Where you have a lot of distractions thrown at you, and they always kept the main thing. The main thing is football and family.”
Gray also shared a common story told by Steelers players on how Mike Tomlin opened his doors for players during holidays.
“Mike Tomlin opened his door for some of his players to come in, spend Christmas or Thanksgiving with the head coach. Which is the NFL is rare, unless you’re just a star player of the team. [If] you’re the last guy on the totem pole of the team, you ain’t really getting that extended invite like that,” Gray said.
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Derwin Gray at training camp on Aug. 1, 2019. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
Gray, 30, was the Steelers’ seventh-round pick in there 2019 NFL Draft out of Maryland, where he had played tackle, but he converted to guard in the NFL. The 6-foot-3, 320-pound lineman played two seasons with the Steelers, spending his entire rookie year on the practice squad, and playing in three games as a backup guard in 2020.
The Steelers waived Gray from their active roster on Dec. 26, 2020, and he was claimed by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars cut him the following August, and he was claimed by the Tennessee Titans, where he spent two seasons without playing a game.
Gray caught on with the Birmingham Stallions, then of the USFL, in 2023. He made eight starts as Birmingham won a USFL title in 2023, and then returned for a second run at a championship in the newly formed UFL in 2024. He played in all 10 games and made nine starts, plus two more in the playoffs, included Birmingham’s win in the inaugural UFL Championship.
On February 19, 2025, Gray left the Stallions and signed with the BC Lions of the CFL). On May 11, 2025, Gray along with three other America players were suspended by the CFL for the entire 2025 CFL season. The reason was never revealed.
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