The Pittsburgh Steelers have claimed Adam Thielen off waivers, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday afternoon, uniting quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the one-time Minnesota receiver and Packers killer. Per Thielen’s request, the Vikings released the 12-year veteran yesterday in order to let him join a contender for the final weeks of his career. The 6-6 Steelers might not be that, but playing in a weak AFC North, they have a better chance at the playoffs than do the 4-8 Vikings.
Thielen joins forces with Rodgers as both ride toward sunset
Like Thielen, Rodgers, who turned 42 today, is a candidate to retire at year’s end. As long as they’re both playing, though, Rodgers could use another wideout at his disposal, even one on his last legs. Over in Minnesota, Thielen caught just eight balls for 69 yards this season.
Part of the problem is that the best passer he had throwing to him was Carson Wentz, and that lasted for only a few games before the Vikings’ porous offensive line led to season-ending shoulder surgery for Wentz. Other than that, Minnesota receivers have done their best with two rookies – JJ McCarthy (6 touchdowns, 10 interceptions) and, last week, Max Brosmer (0 TDs, 4 INTs).
The Steelers have the opposite problem. As long as Rodgers get the ball out quick, he’s a capable quarterback even at age 42. Aside from DK Metcalf, however, he just doesn’t have anyone to throw to other than a gaggle of tight ends and running back Kenneth Gainwell.
Pittsburgh’s offense is set up to function that way, but ask Rodgers and he’d probably kill for a secondary target after Metcalf, provided that opposing pass rushes don’t kill him first, like the Bills’ nearly did on Sunday.
Aaron Rodgers looks like he tried to rob Kevin McCallister’s house pic.twitter.com/7XVhuQCXY5
— Boston Globe Pitchbot (@BostonSatire) November 30, 2025
There’s just no one to worry about downfield in the Steelers’ pass game. Metcalf has 45 catches for 605 receiving yards and the rest of Pittsburgh’s wideouts have 16 for 231.
At age 35, of course, Thielen isn’t going to give Rodgers another real threat. He did amass over 600 receiving yards last season in Carolina, however, and over 1,000 the year before that, so he might have a bit more juice than Minnesota made evident.
Perhaps he can be another security blanket-type target in the middle of the field, a variation on the tight end sets and passes out of the backfield that Rodgers has been forced to rely on – partly by design, partly due to sheer lack of options.
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