JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After agreeing to terms with the Jaguars on a free agent deal, former Jacksonville first-round pick Tyson Alualu has changed his mind and re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Alualu agreed to terms on a 2-year, $6 million contract during the legal tampering period but never came to Jacksonville to sign the deal.
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According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissaro, Alualu couldn’t return to Jacksonville to put pen to paper because he tested positive for COVID-19.
Crazy backstory: Tyson Alualu was going to sign with the #Jaguars, but couldn’t make the trip after testing positive for COVID, per sources. He’d built his dream home in Pittsburgh, has kids in school, and with 10 days to think, he decided to stay. https://t.co/oeVQv9W2ie
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 27, 2021
To add insult to injury, the Jaguars’ offer was better than the Steelers’.
In the intervening week and a half, Alualu’s teammates talked him into staying in Pittsburgh. That means the Jaguars have a need to add another big body to the defensive line in the draft. It also means they are losing out on a solid pro and a good locker room guy as well.