Mike Panasiuk earns NFL tryout with Steelers after starring in XFL

Mike Panasiuk is getting a minicamp invite from Pittsburgh following a standout season that ended in All-XFL team honors.

As I stated in my article earlier this week detailing Mike Panasiuk‘s (as well as college teammate Drew Beesley’s) All-XFL honors, he began his career as a defensive tackle, starting 41 of his 51 career games for the Spartans. He totaled 100 tackles, four sacks, a touchdown, and a pair of interceptions in his time at MSU.

If there is one word to describe Panasiuk, it would be resilient. Despite an impressive stat line while playing second fiddle to Raequan Williams at Michigan State, Panasiuk never heard his name called in the draft. After being waived by Las Vegas and Carolina, Panasiuk appeared to be done. He watched his brother, Jacub, go in the XFL draft, but once again, never got the call for himself.

Panasiuk refined his craft and polished himself on the other side of the ball.

He latched onto the most popular XFL team, St. Louis, and was a force for one of the best offenses in the league. Now, Panasiuk is one of 54 players from the XFL who have received a minicamp invite from the NFL.

If Panasiuk gets a contract following his tryout, he will be joining a pair of former Spartans on the roster. In fact, he is not the only former Spartan to make a position change on the roster. As we probably know, utilityman Connor Heyward went in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft to the Steelers. Additionally, Cody White, a receiver who we all should remember, is still on the Steelers roster.

When the trio played at MSU, Panasiuk tried his best to make it impossible for White and Heyward to have a catchable throw or have running lanes. Now, he could be the one paving the way for them.