I assume that the Steelers gave him his two weeks notice, just less than two weeks ago?
If I'm right - then they probably paid him two weeks wages when they released him (i.e. they paid him for this weekends work).
In which case I can understand why the Steelers did it. Sounds like the Caps sponsors have re-embursed the Steelers for his wages for this week/weekend and so he can now play.