Former Steelers first-round OLB leads 2026 countdown to kickoff: Day No. 48
· Yahoo Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers' countdown to kickoff is full steam ahead for the 2026 NFL regular season, with fans needing to wait only 48 more days until the Steel City brand of football returns when the Steelers host the Atlanta Falcons on September 13.
Visit esporist.org for more information.
In the spirit of the countdown, we at Steelers Wire will take a look at the history of the No. 48 jersey and analyze which player wore it best.
Steelers current No. 48: S Jack Henderson
Henderson, who has yet to make his NFL debut, is the current No. 48 wearer on Pittsburgh's roster.
Last 5 Steelers to wear No. 48
- Jack Henderson, 2026
- Cal Adomitis, 2025-2026
- Adetokunbo Ogundeji, 2024
- Godwin Igwebuike, 2023
- Jamir Jones, 2022
Best No. 48 in Steelers history: OLB Bud Dupree
Bud brought a buddy to the No. 48 edition of the countdown to kickoff, as the greatest wearer in franchise history is none other than former Steelers outside linebacker Bud Dupree.
Dupree, selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, began his NFL career at left outside linebacker before switching to the right side in 2018. He played in Pittsburgh for six years (2015-2020) before leaving the Steel City for the Tennessee Titans (2021-2022), and eventually the Atlanta Falcons (2023) and Los Angeles Chargers (2024-2025).
Through his 11-year NFL career, Dupree has recorded 61 sacks, 103 quarterback hits, 349 combined tackles, 78 tackles for loss, and 13 forced fumbles.
While it was tough to see him leave Pittsburgh, Dupree is the best No. 48 wearer in Steelers history.
For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any offseason moves, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Former Steelers first-round OLB leads 2026 countdown to kickoff: Day No. 48