Cornell Powell’s professional football career has taken him from Clemson to multiple NFL organizations and eventually to a starring role in the UFL.
Now, the former Tigers wide receiver is looking for his next opportunity.
Powell was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday as the team began making moves ahead of the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline Sunday evening.
His departure comes after another productive season with the DC Defenders, where Powell caught 34 passes for 491 yards and a touchdown in 2026. He was also recognized as the UFL Sportsman of the Year while helping DC reach the United Bowl for the second consecutive season.
A year earlier, Powell was one of the league’s top scoring threats.
He hauled in seven touchdown passes in 2025,
the most in the UFL, while totaling 418 yards on 29 receptions over nine games. The Defenders capped that season by winning the United Bowl championship.
Powell has continued trying to turn that UFL success into another extended NFL opportunity.
Pittsburgh gave him that chance this summer. He appeared throughout the preseason and finished Thursday’s 28-27 loss to Buffalo with three catches for 23 yards. Those were his only receptions of the Steelers’ three exhibition games before he was included in Friday’s cuts.
The Steelers are only the latest stop in a professional career that began when Kansas City selected Powell in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
He spent three years in the Chiefs organization, primarily on the practice squad, and appeared in three games during the 2022 season. Powell was also part of two Super Bowl championship teams during his time in Kansas City.
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His NFL résumé later grew to include Seattle, Houston and Pittsburgh. Powell spent time on the Seahawks’ practice squad in 2024, joined the Texans during the 2025 offseason and later landed on the Steelers’ practice squad.
Long before that journey began, Powell spent five seasons at Clemson and eventually became a key piece of the Tigers’ offense.
He closed his college career with 93 receptions for 1,211 yards and 10 touchdowns while appearing in 54 games. Powell made 12 starts and logged 1,207 snaps during his time at Clemson.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Former Clemson wide receiver released by the Pittsburgh Steelers
