Speedy ex-Penn St. football player, track star Dan Chisena out to make Steelers special teams
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During organized team activities sessions and minicamp practices throughout the spring, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive backs sometimes were caught doing double takes.
Who was that No. 85, the mild-mannered looking man standing 6-foot-3, 203 pounds who was making them look so silly, and so … slow?
Receivers coach Frisman Jackson said he found himself watching with a wry smile. He knew the receiver turning heads: former Penn State player Dan Chisena.
“I keep joking with the defensive guys, ‘Don’t sleep on Dan — he can roll,’” Jackson said.
“Not many people trust (his speed), but he’s rolled past some people.”
Chisena’s resume through three NFL seasons includes no passes thrown his way, and his college stat line lists all of three receptions.
But make no mistake, Chisena has an opportunity to make the Steelers’ regular-season roster. And, likewise, don’t be fooled, Chisena can run.
It was widely reported during the lead-up to the 2020 draft that Chisena ran the 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds. If he’d done that at the combine (he wasn’t invited), Chisena would have had the third-fastest time among the 266 draft prospects who ran the 40.
Chisena’s 4.32 would have bested all the wide receivers at the 2023 combine.
“He shows some real speed,” Jackson said. “Hopefully we will have a chance to see that speed in action, because he can really roll.”
Chisena rolled to PIAA gold medals in the 100-meter dash, 200 dash and as part of Downingtown East’s 400 relay team in 2015.
That performance caught the eyes of college track coaches, but by that point of Chisena’s senior year, he’d already accepted Penn State’s preferred walk-on offer for football.
“My intent was to originally go to Penn State for football,” Chisena said. “I did well at the state track meet my senior year, and since I was already going to Penn State for football, the track coach said, ‘We would love for you to come run for us.’”
They ultimately offered him a scholarship. Great news, right? Indeed, but NCAA rules prohibit scholarship athletes in other sports from participating in football. So as much as Chisena loved football, he made the wise financial decision to get free tuition — and collect some medals.
Chisena was part of the 2017 Big Ten championship 400 relay and Penn State’s overall conference team title. Chisena was part of 400 and 1,600-meter relay teams that placed 13th and ninth, respectively, at the 2017 NCAA outdoor championships. The 400 team set a PSU program record.
“I enjoyed it, but I got hurt and I ended up missing football,” Chisena said, referencing a reported hamstring injury in 2018. “I decided to walk back on (to the football team), so I gave up my track scholarship.”
Chisena appeared in two games for the Nittany Lions in 2018. During the Blue-White game the next spring, he caught a 59-yard touchdown pass from Will Levis on a go route, and coach James Franklin grabbed a microphone to make an announcement to the 61,000 fans at Beaver Stadium.
Surprise scholarship announcements are amazing, but @coachjfranklin took it to a whole new level for Dan Chisena. https://t.co/eYtDqYKf1l pic.twitter.com/wxv8IC3mFB
— Onward State (@OnwardState) April 13, 2019
Chisena was put on scholarship. For football.
That fall, Chisena played 12 games. Although he had only the three catches for 40, 20 and 6 yards, he earned the program’s special teams player of the year award after regularly making his mark by way of making tackles, downing punts and recovering fumbles.
Those traits, along with the track-star speed, made Chisena worthy of an NFL contract. And Chisena made the Minnesota Vikings’ active roster as an undrafted rookie. Initially listed as a safety, Chisena played the second-most special teams snaps of any Vikings player in 2020.
Chisena was playing a similar special-teams heavy role in 2021, but he was part of the Vikings’ final camp cuts last season before joining the practice squad. He appeared in two regular-season games.
He signed with the Steelers in January. If during training camp he can show himself reliable and adept at punt/kick coverage skills — as well as, perhaps, prove he can play an occasional snap on offense — Chisena has a shot at “earning a hat” for games in the fall.
“I just try to control what I can control,” he said. “Everyone’s been great so far, I’ve really enjoyed it, and so I just want to put my head down and keep working. And when opportunities come, I just hope to take advantage of them.”
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