Steelers Reportedly Claim Former Vikings Wr Adam Thielen Off Waivers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have claimed former Minnesota Vikings receiver Adam Thielen off waivers, according to multiple reports. 

The Vikings released Thielen on Monday at his request. Upon his release, the Vikings announced that Thielen's representatives approached the team about waiving him so that he can play a bigger role for the remainder of his final NFL season.  

The Vikings granted that request, and now Thielen will likely finish his career with a 6-6 Steelers team that's a long shot to make the playoffs.

Thielen, 35, is a Vikings franchise stalwart who's played 10 of his 12 NFL seasons with Minnesota. At his peak, Thielen was one of the league's most productive receivers and made two Pro Bowls with the Vikings after the 2017 and 2018 seasons. 

Thielen spend the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Carolina Panthers before re-joining the Vikings this season. He played sparingly this season and tallied just 8 catches for 69 yards in 11 games for a struggling Vikings team that's experienced a significant downgrade at quarterback since letting Sam Darnold walk in free agency in the offseason. 

Upon his release, Thielen thanked the Vikings in a statement that he wanted to go "compete" elsewhere, insinuating that he'd hoped to play for a contending team. 

Can Thielen help the Steelers?

The Steelers have spent much of the season leading a laggard AFC north. But the Baltimore Ravens have won five of six games to tie the Steelers atop the division at 6-6 and would hold the tiebreaker for the division's automatic playoff spot if the postseason started this week. The 4-8 Cincinnati Bengals, meanwhile, have Joe Burrow back at quarterback and are a long shot to return to contention for the division. 

The Ravens and Steelers have two games remaining against each other, giving the Steelers control of their path to the playoffs. They're apparently hoping that Thielen can provide an edge to help them into the postseason.

Thielen joins a tepid Steelers passing attack that ranks 24th in the league in yards per game in the first year with 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Two-time Pro Bowler DK Metcalf is averaging the fewest yards per game of his career (50.4) in his first season with the team since leaving the Seattle Seahawks. 

It's unlikely that a 35-year-old Thielen will make a notable impact on Pittsburgh's offense. But he's a respected NFL veteran joining a team in which Rodgers appeared this week to take a shot at his receiving corps' work habits following a loss to the Buffalo Bills. And the Steelers are seeking any edge they can find to avoid sliding out of the playoff picture.