Adam Thielen found a taker on the waiver wire. The Steelers, who did not end up trading for a wide receiver at the deadline, are claiming the veteran, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. Thielen had asked to be waived, but he did not end up making it to free agency — or too far down the wire.
This opportunity came about after the Vikings cut ties with the Minnesota native Monday. The Vikes had acquired Thielen from the Panthers just before the season. At the time, that move was framed as a way for Thielen to help out a hopeful contender. That did not end up happening, with the Vikings struggling (as the Panthers have reawakened). Now, Thielen will have a shot — in what looks set to be his final stretch of NFL action — to aid the Steelers’ quest to hang on in the AFC North.
A team already housing the likes of T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward did not shy away from adding aging talent this year, having signed Darius Slay and Aaron Rodgers while trading for Jalen Ramsey. The Steelers waived Slay earlier today, but Thielen — at 35 — will be brought in to help a scuffling passing attack. The NFL’s oldest active wideout, Thielen did not make much of an impact during his second Vikings stint. But he should have a better chance to do so with the Steelers.
Thielen caught eight passes for 69 yards in 11 Vikings games, operating as an afterthought in a Vikings receiving corps featuring Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor. The Steelers have not seen a D.K. Metcalf complementary option emerge.
Metcalf has 605 yards on the season; no other Steeler has more than 300. This, of course, comes as George Pickens has erupted in a contract year — following a May trade with the Cowboys. Pickens’ 1,142 yards in 12 games already set a new career-high mark. Pittsburgh developed an earned reputation for developing a host of wide receivers, but Roman Wilson has not caught on late in Year 2. The 2024 third-round pick has just 166 yards this season, after he missed almost all of his rookie year.
Although Thielen was not much help in J.J. McCarthy‘s debut, he does have a recent history of making significant contributions. Even in a 2024 season that saw him land on IR and miss seven games due to a hamstring injury, the former UDFA totaled 615 yards and five touchdowns. In his Carolina debut in 2023, Thielen posted his third 1,000-yard season — a 1,014-yard showing that included 103 catches. Maintaining quality form into his mid-30s, Thielen will attempt to help Rodgers in what is expected to be his final season.
Rodgers and Thielen have been friends for years, with the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling noting earlier today this fit would make sense. The duo had discussed playing together in the past. That will come together for a Steelers team that has struggled, limping to 6-6 and hearing a cascade of boos rain down during a one-sided Week 13 loss to the Bills. Tied with the Ravens atop the AFC North, the Steelers are in jeopardy of squandering a big lead and perhaps finishing with a losing record for the first time in Mike Tomlin‘s 19-year tenure.
One of the NFL’s better possession receivers during this period, Thielen had teamed with Jefferson and Stefon Diggs before him to form quality receiving tandems in Minnesota. On Vikings teams competing with Rodgers for NFC North supremacy, Thielen eclipsed 1,200 yards in 2017 and ’18, earning Pro Bowl nods each year. Thielen collected a second-team All-Pro accolade in 2017, helping the Vikings to the NFC championship game. Thielen’s 64 touchdown catches rank eighth among active players.
He earned two Minnesota extensions and, following a 2023 release, caught on with the Panthers on a three-year, $25MM deal. Thielen reworked that pact this summer, accepting a pay cut to facilitate a trade to his home-state team. He is attached to a $3MM base salary this season. The Steelers will be responsible for $882K via this claim. They entered the day with just less than $4MM in cap space.
Here’s an offensive coordinator whose play calls resemble the Bronco Nagurski era and a QB who gets rid of the ball too quickly so as not to be touched, but yeah, signing a receiver makes perfect sense. He’ll fit in well with the dink and dunk approach
Actually he will . He is not a deep threat or a burner so ….. on top of that provided the Steelers make The playoffs they already have the stink of one and done. So he is not going to take the Steelers to the souped bowl but he is not going to hurt them.
In other words, he’s not going to make much difference. Solid pick up then
This makes enough sense for a waiver claim from a football perspective, but it’s funny to get the oldest receiver in football to pair with the oldest quarterback in football.
You know your WR room is cooked when Adam you’ve lost that lovin’ Thielen is your #2.
He might as well retire now and refuse the nomination.
I get the fit, but its too little too late
Khan had a whole year to figure out WR2 and settled for a late season waiver claim?
Between this and trading George Pickens for only a 3rd round pick, Omar Khan has completely mismanaged the Steelers WR room.
Their entire roster in my opinion. There’s a reason they’re .500; crappy built team.
Its hard to find anything gone right.
The defense is pretty much TJ vs the world. Ramsey is great, but teams just avoid him.
The run D is non-existent.
Peyton Wilson, while his tackle numbers are incredible, has been nothing extraordinary to witness on the field. Just a lot of clean-up work behind and abysmal down line.
Gainwell and Warren have made for a servicable, yet unwhelming backfield duo -with Kaleb Johnson so far a bust.
TE’s have been utilized heavily, but havent drawn many if any explosive plays. Freiermuth, by far the most dynamic threat, has been used minimally in favor of 5 yard trucks to Darnell Washington. Jonnu Smith is pretty much irrelevant in the offense as well.
Receivers, oh boy. What a disaster. DKM is a servicable utility as a W2 with straight-line speed and size.
As a go-to option, he has neither the hands nor mobility to be the primary target in an offense.
How did Khan not foresee this?
Every other reveiver is inconsistent at best, and regularly invisible.
Thielen at least gives them a pair of hands on 3rd down, which is one of a bevy of glaring holes on this team.
I still have the Ravens cooking them this week, and the season’s over
Haha. Yeah. Ok. Tomlin is the face of the franchise and has his hands on every aspect, but it’s Khan who’s mismanaged the WR room, and every other room
I’ll agree that they should burn it all down. But Tomlin first
Shame he didn’t go to a team with a good QB or with chance in playoffs.
Adam will get a chance to face the Ravens 26th ranked pass defense 3x this season. Most WRs would jump at a chance to do that 🙂
Thought he said he wanted to play for a Playoff team?
Well at least they didn’t give up a 5th for him like they did Mike Williams. This is window dressing.