Las week, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers took to Instagram to post photos from a retreat he led with several teammates. DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman, Pat Freiermuth, Ben Skowronek, Mason Rudolph, and Roman Wilson went on a trip to Wyoming, per one of the photos being taken at Jackson Hole. Now, Rodgers has given everyone a rare glimpse into his personal life. On Monday evening, the Steelers' quarterback posted photos with his mother Darla, father Ed, and brother Luke with the caption, "Another bonding week." Rodgers was infamously estranged from his family for north of a decade, as it was revealed by his brother Jordan that the Super Bowl-winning quarterback didn't speak to the rest of the family in 2016 while Jordan was competing on The Bachelorette. "It's just the way he's chosen to do life," Jordan said . "I chose to stay close with my family and my parents and my brother [Luke]." While Rodgers cited his parent's strict religious beliefs as the main reason for the falling out, it appears that the bridge has been rebuilt. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Former Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell arrested in Ohio Top 30 greatest Pittsburgh Steelers of all time: No. 20-11 Steelers' Mason McCormick named to PFF's 2026 All-Breakout team Jon Gruden urges Steelers to put their faith in Mike McCarthy Learning the Mike McCarthy offense: What is the West Coast offense?
The Pittsburgh Steelers report for training camp in just over two weeks. After a busy offseason that featured several additions on both sides of the ball, as well as a head coach change for the first time in 19 years, there is a level of excitement and uncertainty the organization hasn’t had in quite some time. Ahead of players reporting to St. Vincent College, quarterback Aaron Rodgers led a retreat with several of his offensive teammates. Rodgers, DK Metcalf , Michael Pittman , Pat Freiermuth , Roman Wilson , Ben Skowronek , and Mason Rudolph all featured in photos posted to Rodgers’ Instagram partaking in activities such as horseback riding and paddle boarding. A photo also featured Pittman and Skowronek dressed in bee-keeper’s outfits. Rodgers captioned the post, “Last rodeo.” Rodgers led a similar get-together with teammates last year, welcoming them to his Malibu home for team bonding. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Pittsburgh Steelers top 10 players ahead of 2026 season Former Steelers CB Joe Haden says Mike Tomlin lacked accountability Steelers Super Bowl champion passes away Steelers defender named biggest bust of 2026 ESPN analyst says Steelers’ Zach Frazier could become NFL’s best center
Aaron Rodgers, indicating his likely final NFL season, hosted six teammates (Michael Pittman Jr., Ben Skowronek, Roman Wilston, Mason Rudolph, DK Metcalf, and Pat Freiermuth) for a "bonding week" in a rustic, outdoor setting, emphasizing his "last rodeo" theme
Aaron Rodgers is holding a 'bonding week' with six Steelers teammates, including Michael Pittman Jr., Ben Skowronek, Roman Wilston, Mason Rudolph, DK Metcalf, and Pat Freiermuth, ahead of his declared 'last rodeo' season in 2026. The gathering included outdoor activities and cowboy-themed elements
With Steelers training camp approaching, several players are vying for roster spots. Wide receiver A.T. Perry, despite a quiet NFL career since his rookie year, possesses the measurables and athleticism to compete for a WR6 role if he can contribute on special teams. Other players like Ben Skowronek, Roman Wilson, and Kaden Wetjen also face competition at wide receiver
PFF constructed an all-time Steelers roster from 2006 to the present, featuring prominent offensive and defensive players like Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, T.J. Watt, and Cameron Heyward
The Pittsburgh Steelers made several notable upgrades to their offense. At the beginning of the offseason, they traded for wide receiver Michael Pittman and signed running back Rico Dowdle . In the 2026 NFL Draft, they added wide receiver Germie Bernard after trading up for him. Despite the additions, there are those who remain skeptical about Pittsburgh. One of those skeptics is Bill Barnwell of ESPN, who ranks Pittsburgh’s group of skill position players as the No. 21 unit in the NFL. “Another offseason brought another trade for an expensive wide receiver by an organization that had developed a reputation for finding its own in the middle rounds of the draft,” Barnwell writes . “Michael Pittman Jr. is a good fit for what Aaron Rodgers wants to do (get the ball out quickly for short completions) but a bad fit for what the Steelers need (a wide receiver who can stretch teams downfield). Second-round pick Germie Bernard should be an upgrade on Calvin Austin III , and it’s fair to pin the problems creating big plays on the quarterback and his desire to stay clean, but the Steelers need to find a way to create explosive plays in 2026.” Barnwell adds that the inconsistency of DK Metcalf is a large reason why the Steelers are so low on the list. “[Metcalf] had games when that seemed possible in 2025, but it was a boom-or-bust season,” Barnwell writes. “He had four games with 85 receiving yards or more, and he didn’t top 55 yards in any of his other 12 contests.” Barnwell acknowledges that there are good players in the offense, but the Steelers need Metcalf to become the Pro Bowl talent he was early on in his career. “There are fun players around the receivers,” Barnwell writes. “ Jaylen Warren has been able to handle almost exactly half of a running back rotation reasonably well. Rico Dowdle was prime Marshawn Lynch for a couple of weeks last season. Darnell Washington is one of the least fun players to tackle on the planet. Pat Freiermuth can go missing for stretches, but he’s also still capable enough to produce big games, like the 111-yard, two-score performance he put together in the shootout against the Bengals last season. There are no bad players here, but they could really use a vintage season from Metcalf.” The aforementioned additions should open things up for Metcalf, rather than allow defenses to make him their sole focus. Should Pittman, Bernard, and the run game all prove to be the high-quality additions many believe them to be, Pittsburgh’s offense very well could surprise many in 2026. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! NFL analyst tabs Steelers’ Mike McCarthy as NFL Coach of the Year candidate C.J. Stroud emerges as Steelers 2027 QB option Steelers sign versatile defensive back to one-year deal Steelers named landing spot for All-Pro WR Stefon Diggs Steelers unable to draft QB Brendan Sorsby, per NFL ruling
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2026 draft class included several notable additions. After the Eagles sniped Pittsburgh for Makai Lemon, the Steelers took offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, and followed that up by trading up for Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard in the second round. It was the third round, though, that had many talking. Pittsburgh used the third-round pick they received in the George Pickens trade by selecting Penn State quarterback Drew Allar . After that, they selected Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker to close out their first two days of picks. In between the selections of Allar and Dunker, though, Pittsburgh took cornerback Daylen Everette out of Georgia. And while the former Bulldog may not have gotten the attention of his fellow draftees, Brooke Pryor of ESPN says he was one of the standout performers of the Steelers’ offseason program. “Everette, one of the Steelers’ three third-round draft picks, turned heads with a larger-than-expected role in minicamp, as cornerback Joey Porter Jr. limited his participation while hoping for a contract extension,” Pryor writes. “The player out of Georgia held his own as he battled with wide receiver DK Metcalf and got his hands on several passes.” Considering how deep the Steelers’ secondary already is, with the likes of Joey Porter, Jalen Ramsey , Jamel Dean , Asante Samuel, and Jaquan Brisker making up the unit, Everette being a quality player from Day One would give the Steelers an embarrassment of riches on the back end, as well as a promising player on a rookie contract who could step into a larger role in the coming years. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Four trades the Steelers should make before training camp Mike McCarthy is exactly who Pat Freiermuth needed Former Steelers GM Kevin Colbert defends Kenny Pickett draft pick Skip Bayless doubts Steelers’ playoff chances in 2026 Steelers urged to trade for All-Pro linebacker
Pat Freiermuth struggled in 2025 after a career-best 2024. His offensive snap percentage dropped significantly, and his catch total was his lowest in a full season. With the hiring of Mike McCarthy as offensive coordinator, Freiermuth may see a bounce-back season. McCarthy's previous work with the Dallas Cowboys demonstrates a history of heavily and efficiently involving tight ends in the passing game, with players like Dalton Schultz and Jake Ferguson consistently ranking high in targets per route run. Freiermuth has a proven track record of efficiency when given targets, and despite a down year in 2025, his metrics in catch rate over expected and EPA per target remain strong
Steelers general manager Omar Khan has been focusing on extending his successful 2023 draft class recently, giving us plenty of new contracts to grade. Recently, we talked about the risk and reward of outside linebacker Nick Herbig’s recent four-year, $100 million contract . Now, let’s do the same for Darnell Washington’s four-year, $42 million deal. You can read the full financial details here . Ultimately, Washington carries a small, $3.47 million cap hit in 2026. Then, from 2027-2030, it stays in the $10 million range. With less than half the deal’s total worth guaranteed, Washington’s yearly dead cap hit sits at $8 million in 2027, dropping $2 million in each following season. It’s not financially crippling for the team in the least. With the new deal, Washington is now the 13th highest-paid in the league at his position with a $10.5 million yearly average, still well below the 49ers ’ George Kittle ’s NFL-leading $19.5 million. Even Washington’s fellow Pittsburgh tight end Pat Freiermuth makes more, with the 10th-highest yearly average at $12.1 million, per Spotrac . Washington hasn’t been the most productive receiver over his time in the pros, but he is coming off a career-best 31-catch, 364-yard season in 2025, including one touchdown. He was the team’s most-played tight end on offense, narrowly out-snapping both Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith . Of course, where Washington’s true value lies is as a blocker, where he is the rare talent who can hold up against defensive ends one-on-one thanks to his sheer size and strength at 6’7 and a weight that likely sits at or near the 300-pound range. A lumbering mover as a route runner who dropped four passes in 2025, Washington’s upside as a receiving weapon may be limited, even if he still is a freakish mover for his size. But even as a pure blocking tight end, his contract value is fair — the Vikings signed Josh Oliver , one of the best blocking tight ends in the league, to a $7.75 million per year contract in 2025, and the value of such players has just continued to rise. Look at the 2026 draft class ! Plus, the tight ends still making more than Washington include good-not-great names such as Evan Engram , Cole Kmet , and Isaiah Likely . Their roles in their respective offenses may not be the most comparable, but names such as Likely and Kmet have similarly not always been the primary tight end on their teams. All that to say, the Steelers got a reasonable value for Washington. My only concerns lie with potential for injury, and how Washington will be used in the Steelers’ new offense under Mike McCarthy. Washington had knee concerns coming out of the draft in 2023, which was the likely reason why he fell to Pittsburgh in the third round. However, in the NFL he’s been incredibly durable, playing in all but one regular season game through his first three years in the league. Still, with his size, it remains a bit of a concern moving forward. Then, there’s the question of if Washington’s skill set will still be used as well as it was in Arthur Smith’s 2025 Steelers offense. With Mike McCarthy likely to prioritize more 11 personnel (one tight end) moving forward, it will be interesting to see if Pittsburgh can maximize its investments in both Washington and Freiermuth, especially considering the latter is the more dynamic receiving target. But if anything, the Steelers’ decision to lock up Washington long term signals the team is both confident in his health and sees him a key piece of the offense moving forward. And why wouldn’t they? He’s a force multiplier in the run game who’s still a threat to ruin a defensive back’s day while gaining yards after catch in the open field. Like with Nick Herbig ’s contract, we’ll reserve the “A” for true slam-dunk deals and bargains. This contract still comes with some question marks. But it’s another strong B+ for one of the most fun players on the current Steelers’ roster. How would you grade the Steelers’ Darnell Washington ex
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The Pittsburgh Steelers and tight end Darnell Washington agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $42 million, making him the 12th-highest paid tight end in the league. Further details on the extension have been revealed. Per Spotrac , Washington will get $11.25 million in guaranteed money. the year-by-year cap hits are as follows: 2027: $11.3 million 2028: $9.75 million 2029: $10.3 million 2030: $11 million Washington is coming off a career-best season, with career-highs in catches (31) and yards (364). The Steelers also extended edge rusher Nick Herbig just one day before Washington, inking the Wisconsin product to a four-year, $100 million deal. The Steelers will return to the practice field at Rooney Sports Complex for their final set of OTAs this week before taking a six-week break ahead of training camp. Players will report to St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA Tuesday, July 28 with the first practice of training camp being Wednesday, July 29. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Steelers QB Drew Allar could follow Drake Maye blueprint, says NFL analyst Steelers would need to pay hefty price for polarizing QB Don’t rule out Baker Mayfield as the Steelers’ 2027 quarterback Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth shares early takeaways on Drew Allar Projecting contract extension for Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr
The Pittsburgh Steelers ’ quarterback room is already full as is. With four signal-callers currently on the roster, adding a fifth before training camp would be a shock, to say the least. However, there is a rare case in which a first-round talent is available in the supplemental draft. Former Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s appeal to have his eligibility reinstated has been denied by the NCAA. This comes after Sorsby was found to have gambled on his own team while at Indiana. And while he won’t be playing college football in 2026, there is a change Sorsby finds himself on an NFL roster, though he won’t come cheap. Per Tony Pauline, should a team take Sorsby in the supplemental draft, it could cost a first or second round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. “Multiple sources inside the league tell me if QB Brendan Sorsby of Texas Tech is unable to regain eligibility for the ’26 college season & forced to enter a supplemental draft, he will be a late 1st/early 2nd round pick depending on the order,” Pauline writes . “Presently Sorsby is graded higher than Arch Manning by several area scouts as we head towards the season.” Should the Steelers take the leap and use a pick on Sorsby, they would basically be saying he is the quarterback they are betting on for the future, and it would mean that both Will Howard and Mason Rudolph would be out the door. Sorsby threw 27 touchdowns to five interceptions and led the Big 12 with a passer rating of 155.5 in 2025. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Don’t rule out Baker Mayfield as the Steelers’ 2027 quarterback Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth shares early takeaways on Drew Allar Projecting contract extension for Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr Pittsburgh Steelers trade rumors shut down by NFL insider Steelers sign former first round linebacker to one-year deal
Welcome back to BTSC’s Friday night open thread: It’s been a big week for Omar Khan and getting extensions done, and more are likely to follow. How would you grade Khan’s entire tenure as Steelers general manager so far? Nick Herbig signed for four years, $100 million. How do you see the Steelers’ edge room shaking out over the next two seasons? Darnell Washington signed for four years, $42 million. Do you think he or Pat Freiermuth will play more snaps in 2026? What’s your favorite Darnell Washington moment during his time with the Steelers so far? The Steelers’ preseason game times were announced this week . Are you at the point of the offseason where you’re looking forward to preseason football yet? It’s super regionals season in college baseball. Do you follow along? Pulling for any team in particular? Tonight’s song rec:
The Pittsburgh Steelers have wrapped mandatory minicamp and have one more round of OTAs before wrapping up their offseason program. After that, they will take six weeks off before making the trek to Latrobe for training camp at the end of July. Following the final practice of minicamp, Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth joined Missi Matthews and Mike Prisuta to discuss the week of mandatory practices, and was asked to give his thoughts on rookie quarterback, and fellow Penn State Nittany Lion, Drew Allar. “It’s been cool to kind of work with a Penn State guy,” Freiermuth said via the team’s website. “It’s just been cool to see him here. [The] first couple days as a pro is really tough on a rookie – new team, new building… but he’s been really progressing really well. He led the team down on a two-minute drive the other day. It’s just been great to see him get more comfortable in the locker room and the offense.” The quarterback position will certainly be at the top of the lists of fans and media alike in terms of what to watch during training camp and preseason, but Freiermuth is a name in which many expect a big bounce-back season. After posting a career-high 65 catches and seven touchdowns in 2024, Freiermuth saw his play-time dip and his reception total fall to just 41 with four scores. In a Mike McCarthy offense that has a history of getting tight ends the ball, No. 88 is a prime candidate to have a big year. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Projecting contract extension for Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr Pittsburgh Steelers trade rumors shut down by NFL insider Steelers sign former first round linebacker to one-year deal Steelers sign former Packers TE Robert Tonyan Steelers WR Roman Wilson impressing in minicamp as he chases spot in offense
After signing former Aaron Rodgers teammate and veteran tight end Robert Tonyan on Thursday, the Steelers made room by waiving tight end Chamon Metayer, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson . Metayer was part of the Steelers’ initial undrafted free agent class in 2026. He played college football in 2025 alongside Pittsburgh first-round pick Max Iheanachor at Arizona State. Now, the Steelers’ current tight end room consists of Pat Freiermuth , the recently-extended Darnell Washington , Tonyan, Jaheim Bell , J.J. Galbreath, UDFA signing Lake McRee, and rookie fullback hybrid Riley Nowakowski. Steelers minicamp concluded Thursday, but OTAs will resume on Monday. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Pittsburgh Steelers trade rumors shut down by NFL insider Steelers sign former first round linebacker to one-year deal Steelers sign former Packers TE Robert Tonyan Steelers WR Roman Wilson impressing in minicamp as he chases spot in offense Steelers sign TE Darnell Washington to $42 million extension
Just hours after signing tight end Darnell Washington to a four-year $42 million dollar contract extension, the Pittsburgh Steelers have added another tight end to their roster tight end to their roster in Robert Tonyan. The former teammate of Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has joined the Steelers 90-man roster on a one-year deal after a minicamp tryout earlier this week, as reported by ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. Tonyan was one of five players that the Steelers brought in for a tryout this week. The tight end spent the first five years of his career in Green Bay, highlighted by an 11-touchdown season in 2020. Tonyan has also spent time with the Bears, Chiefs , and Vikings throughout his career. Rodgers has a history of reconnecting with former teammates throughout his NFL career. During his time with the Jets , the team added pass catchers Allen Lazard and Davante Adams . The Steelers have also been willing to bring in some familiar pass catchers for Rodgers, as Marquez Valdes-Scantling spent time with the team last season. Tonyan is the latest example and now slots in as the current third tight end on the Steelers roster behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. Tonyan has caught just one pass in the last two seasons, but still provides critical depth behind Friermuth and Washington. Rookie fifth-rounder Riley Nowakowski also has experience as a tight end, but is listed as a fullback on the team’s website. The connection to Rodgers and uncertain depth at the position gives Tonyan a real chance to fight for a roster spot this summer. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Steelers WR Roman Wilson impressing in minicamp as he chases spot in offense Steelers sign TE Darnell Washington to $42 million extension Former Steelers QB announces retirement from NFL Steelers, DT Keeanu Benton working toward contract extension T.J. Watt hints at new role on Steelers defense
The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed tight end Darnell Washington to a four-year contract extension worth $42 million, with $21 million guaranteed. Washington, a 2023 third-round pick, has shown year-over-year improvement in receiving statistics and has been a consistent offensive presence despite sharing the tight end position
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.
