Albuquerque's Gentry earns second contract with NFL's Steelers

Mar. 28—Albuquerque native Zach Gentry is set to return to his second home.

As first reported by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero on Sunday, Gentry, 26, re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers after starting 13 games and playing a career-high 577 offensive snaps in 2022.

Contract details were not available at the time of publication.

Selected by Pittsburgh in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Gentry has started 26 of 40 games and notched 39 receptions for 303 yards in four seasons with the Steelers. He tied his career-high in receptions (19) for 132 yards in 2022 in addition to his reputation as one of the best pass blocking ends in the league.

Gentry's football journey started at Eldorado High School, where as quarterback he passed for 3,734 yards and 27 touchdowns and rushed for 1,013 yards and 26 touchdowns over three years as the Eagles' starter.

A consensus four-star recruit and the top-rated prospect in New Mexico, he committed to Michigan in June 2015 following a lengthy recruitment that saw him decommit from Texas.

At 6-foot-8, Gentry made the switch to tight end during his freshman season in Ann Arbor at the urging of head coach Jim Harbaugh.

"He told me very early on in the transition that he envisioned me as an NFL tight end," Gentry said in a December 2022 interview with the Steelers. "It was going to happen. Of course, I didn't want to hear it at that time. But he was right."

After deciding to stay with the Wolverines, Gentry tallied 49 receptions for 817 yards and four touchdowns in his final two years with Michigan. He entered the NFL Draft in 2019 with one year of eligibility remaining and was selected by Pittsburgh with the 141st overall pick.

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