Who is Monte Pottebaum? The Steelers rookie fullback who retired before playing a single NFL game

Pottebaum was a childhood Steelers fan and joined the NFL franchise earlier this year. At 6-foot-1 and 244 pounds, he was signed by Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa.
Pottebaum – famous for his peroxide mullet – was the only true fullback listed on the Steelers’ 90-man roster. But he was placed on the retired list Sunday, with the organization offering no extra context on the decision.

When pressed on the team’s fullback issue, coach Mike Tomlin said, “We’re going to go into our off day and look at the totality of our needs and make our decisions from there.” The Steelers will retain Pottebaum’s rights if he eventually decides to return to the field. Pottebaum participated in organized Steelers team activities, minicamp and training camp throughout the summer.
He was expected to make the final 53-man roster after signing a contract that included a $10,000 roster bonus, according to Spotrac.

Monte was a fan favorite in college, having played in 45 games. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz described Pottebaum as “one of our best leaders” last season.
He told reporters, “It’s a little upsetting not having Monte because he’s one of the best players on our soccer team, one of our best leaders. Monte can do a lot of things, play different positions.”
And Steelers fans were shocked by the news of the fullback’s departure when it was announced on July 30, with many wishing him well. One wrote on social media: “Shocker of a camp so far.” Another said: ‘Hope all is well with him’.