PITTSBURGH -- Desperate to strengthen their kickoff coverage and eliminate touchdown returns, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed a pair of special teams players on Tuesday.
Cornerback Corey Ivy and linebacker Rocky Boiman will take the roster spots of cornerback Keiwan Ratliff and linebacker Donovan Woods, who only lasted one week
after being signed to replace Arnold Harrison.
Ivy is a nine-year veteran from Oklahoma who won a Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002 -- a team on which Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was Ivy's defensive backs coach. He was cut by the Cleveland Browns in training camp before the 2009 season.
Boiman, an eight-year man from Notre Dame, played every game for the Indianapolis Colts during their 2006 Super Bowl championship season. He was cut by Tennessee before the 2009 season.
The Steelers have allowed four kickoff returns for touchdowns in their past five games.
Especially embarrassing was Kansas City's touchdown return on the opening kickoff Sunday, even after the special teams play had been a topic of discussion all week and Tomlin had cut Harrison and promoted Woods off the practice squad.
Slideshow: Photos From Steelers-Chiefs GameThe only previous season that Pittsburgh allowed as many as three kickoff return touchdowns was 1986.
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