Adam Thielen Latches onto Contender
That didn’t take long. The Pittsburgh Steelers claimed Adam Thielen on Tuesday, one day after the Minnesota Vikings granted his release, a request he made last week. Thielen will join Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin in the AFC Nouth.
Adam Thielen has joined an AFC contender, sparking renewed interest in his late-career push and what the veteran wideout can still offer in 2025.
The Steelers are spiraling a bit, but evidently want a piece of Thielen to aid a weak wide receiving corps.
Steelers Claim Adam Thielen
Thielen did not see the light of day in free agency this time.
PIT Picks Thielen
Thielen flew off the waiver wire, an impressive feat for a 35-year-old wideout with just 8 receptions in 12 games.
Pro Football Talk‘s Mike Florio wrote Tuesday, “Like veteran receiver Brandin Cooks, veteran receiver Adam Thielen asked to be released by a struggling team. Like Cooks, Thielen was. Unlike Cooks, Thielen didn’t make it through waivers. Via NFL Media, the Steelers claimed the balance of Thielen’s contract.”
“They’ll pick up his prorated and essentially guaranteed base salary of $3 million. With five weeks left in the regular season, the Steelers will owe him $833,333. Thielen previously reduced his salary by $2 million and gave up $4 million in incentives when he was traded to the Vikings in late August. That gesture made his contract more attractive on waivers.”
Thielen joins a team with a 30% chance of reaching the postseason, according to The New York Times.
The New Steelers WR Group
Thielen and Rodgers are longtime buddies, so there’s a decent chance that Rodgers pulled some strings behind the scenes — that’s what he does — to make the transaction come to life.
With Thielen in the house, the Steelers will showcase this WR unit:
- D.K. Metcalf
- Calvin Austin
- Adam Thielen
- Roman Wilson
- Ben Skowrownek
- Ke’Shawn Williams
- Scotty Miller
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Practice Squad)
- John Ryhs Plumlee (Practice Squad)
- Cornell Powell (Practice Squad)
Sans Metcalf, when he’s in a productive mood, it’s one of the worst WR groups in the league — probably why Thielen landed there.
Thielen’s Wife Provides Details
Thielen evidently wants to play ball in his career’s final five games: not merely sit on the bench.
His wife, Caitlin, said on Instagram this week: “It’s not even about wins or losses, it’s about Adam wanting to compete, wanting to play. This is his last season … I know him as a competitor, he wants to compete, wants to play, wants to prove, he’s always been about proving people, proving to himself.”
And that makes sense. The Vikings hardly used him. When they did, he frequently dropped passes. Maybe the Steelers will give him more playing time, and perhaps he’ll hold onto the football.
Steelers Must Stave Off Late-Season Plummet
Pittsburgh started the season hot — like hot-hot. Now, though, the Baltimore Ravens have become healthy as of late, wrestling the AFC North lead away from Thielen and Rodgers’ Steelers.
The Steelers will face those very Ravens this weekend, which could basically decide control of the division and a playoff spot. Thereafter, Pittsburgh has Miami, Detroit, Cleveland, and Baltimore again to round out the 2025 campaign.
Oddsmakers expect Pittsburgh to fully collapse, with just a +235 moneyline to reach the playoffs.
CBS Sports on Thielen
Jordan Dajani noted on the Thielen signing, “Thielen was productive for the Carolina Panthers over the last two seasons, crossing 1,000 yards receiving in 2023, and averaging 61.5 receiving yards per contest in 10 games played in 2024.”
“Thielen, in his 12th NFL season, was picked up by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and ended up playing nine years for the team. He ranks fourth in franchise history in receptions (542), fifth in receiving yards (6,751) and third in receiving touchdowns (55). In Pittsburgh, Thielen joins a wide receiving corps headlined by DK Metcalf, although he is the only pass-catcher to cross 300 yards receiving this season.”
The Vikings notably deactivated Thielen last Sunday after he asked for his release. Minnesota later lost 26-0 in Seattle.
“In Thielen, Aaron Rodgers acquires a veteran playmaker that can move the chains. The 6-6 Steelers find themselves in a heated AFC North race. The Baltimore Ravens, also at 6-6, own the tiebreaker, while the 4-8 Cincinnati Bengals are lurking in the background with Joe Burrow back in the fold,” Dajani added.
“Pittsburgh has a 44.8% chance to win the division, and 45.1% chance to make the playoffs, according to SportsLine data expert Stephen Oh.”
Many thought Thielen might end up back with the Panthers, but the Steelers prevented that maneuver.
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