PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers signed defensive end Travis Kirschke to a two-year contract, it was announced today. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Kirschke, an 11-year veteran who was scheduled to be a free agent this year, originally signed with the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent on March 11, 2004. He had previously spent one year with the San Francisco 49ers (2003) and his first six seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions.

Kirschke has played in 141 career games, including 64 with the Steelers, and has made 30 starts (five with Pittsburgh). He played in all 16 games in 2007 for the Steelers and made four starts in place of the injured Aaron Smith.