Steelers announce practice squad and 2010 team captains

The Steelers signed eight first or second-year players to their practice squad today. All eight players were with the team during this summer’s training camp, but were released during final roster cuts.

The players added to the Steelers practice squad include: TE Eugene Bright, OG Dorian Brooks, S Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith, WR Tyler Grisham, OT Kyle Jolly, DT Steve McLendon, FB Frank Summers and DE Doug Worthington.

The Steelers also selected four players today to serve as team captains for the 2010 season. One new player joins three holdovers from the 2009 season as team captains through a vote of their teammates.

Wide receiver Hines Ward was voted a team captain for the sixth consecutive year (2005-10) and will be joined by tight end and first-time offensive co-captain Heath Miller. Ward registered his club-record sixth 1,000-yard receiving season in 2009, when he also ranked eighth in the NFL with 95 receptions. Miller set a team record for tight ends with 76 catches in 2009 while earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl.

Inside linebacker James Farrior was named a captain of the Steelers’ defense for the seventh straight year (2004-10). Farrior led the Steelers with 126 tackles in 2009, his seventh consecutive season with at least 100 tackles.

Linebacker Keyaron Fox was named special teams captain for the second consecutive season. Fox led all Steelers with 27 special teams tackles (17 solo) in 2009.

Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison and Jeff Reed were dropped as captains.