The Steelers have already filled their coaching staff with Mike McCarthy‘s former assistants from his time in Green Bay, not to mention his longtime quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.
Now, they may be considering another reunion, albeit a much lower-profile one. Pittsburgh hosted former Packers tight end Robert Tonyan for a tryout at their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
Tonyan, 32, did not make a 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie in 2017 and made his way to the Packers’ practice squad that December. He carved out a role on special teams in 2018 – McCarthy’s last season in Green Bay – before stepping into a blocking role on offense the following year. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder broke out in 2020, reeling in 52 of his 59 targets for 586 yards. His 88.1% catch rate and 11 touchdowns were both top-five marks league-wide.
A torn ACL sidelined Tonyan for much of the 2021 season, and though his numbers rebounded somewhat in 2022, he was not nearly as efficient or effective in the red zone. He signed with the Bears in 2023, but made just 11 catches for 112 yards across 17 games with a much bigger focus on blocking. He saw zero targets during his five games wtih the Vikings in 2024 and just one with the Chiefs last year, though he appeared in every game as a No. 3 blocking tight end and special teams contributor.
The Steelers are returning Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington from last year’s tight end room, but Jonnu Smith was released in March. Fifth-round pick Riley Nowakowski and undrafted free agent Lake McRee are currently positioned to compete for tertiary roles, but McCarthy may prefer a familiar veteran, especially one who can be trusted with blocking and special teams duties. Tonyan was also a major part of Rodgers’ 2020 MVP campaign, so their chemistry could also motivate a signing.