PITTSBURGH (Sept. 4, 2006) -- Brian St. Pierre, a former Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback cut by the Baltimore Ravens last weekend, was signed to the Steelers' practice squad.
Either St. Pierre or Omar Jacobs, a rookie on the practice squad, will be activated as Charlie Batch's backup for the team's Sept. 7 season-opening game against Miami. Coach Bill Cowher will make up his mind after watching both in practice.
The Steelers had to scramble to find a quarterback after starter Ben Roethlisberger had an emergency appendectomy Sept. 3. He will miss at least one game.
St. Pierre, a former Boston College quarterback, was a fifth-round pick by the Steelers in 2003 and shuttled between their active roster and the practice squad before being cut during the final preseason roster cutdown last year.
He had a chance to return to the Steelers when Roethlisberger injured a knee at midseason, but signed instead with the Ravens and was on their active roster for four games last season.
St. Pierre has thrown one pass in the NFL, an incompletion against Buffalo during the final game of the 2004 regular season.
