Veteran linebacker James Harrison has re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers despite announcing his retirement last month.

The 36-year-old signed a contract with the franchise on Tuesday morning after the Steelers lost Ryan Shazier and Jarvis Jones to injuries.

Shazier suffered an MCL sprain while Jones has undergone wrist surgery, which is likely to keep him out of action for at least two months.

Now without their first-round Draft picks from the last two years, Harrison will add competition for the Steelers and will be familiar with defensive co-ordinator Dick LeBeau's defensive schemes, NFL.com reports.

Harrison will play his first two games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars in the next two weeks of the schedule after tweeting an Instagram image of him signing his contract on Tuesday to make his return to the NFL official.