Breaking NFL News Changes Steelers' Approach To Re-Signing Under-The-Radar Free Agent

The Pittsburgh Steelers will have some very important decisions to make as the new league year quickly approaches. There will be internal free agents that the organization would be wise to re-sign, and it also will make sense to part ways with specific individuals. Due to the departure of Mike Tomlin, it's hard to guess who will be on the priority list for Mike McCarthy. There are three phases to the game, and the team needs to improve in all of them. That doesn't mean that it won't be looked at as critical to retain some very key, yet underrated contributors.

The Steelers could certainly look to part ways with Jonnu Smith, who no longer has Arthur Smith around to vouch for him. This could lead to a little bit of a depth issue due to the fact that Connor Heyward is set to test free agency. However, some fresh news for NFL franchises came about on Sunday evening, which could change everything for Pittsburgh and Heyward, as the organization and General Manager Omar Khan contemplate bringing him back.

Pittsburgh's offense adapted in 2025 to a degree. A very common occurrence on short situations was going to the Tush Push with Heyward leading the way. It's never been truly confirmed if it was designed by Tomlin or Smith, but the Steelers wanted to keep the quarterback out of harm's way. Now, after a 2025 offseason that threatened to ban the play, the league's competition committee co-chairman Rich McKay has informed fans that it doesn't appear it will be an issue in 2026.

"There's no team proposal that I've seen from it," McKay said. "So, I wouldn't envision it. But you never know."

While the regime is Pittsburgh is fresh, the success that Heyward had the majority of the time cannot be ignored. He's also a key special teams player. With the update on the Tush Push, it could make a lot of sense for the Steelers to re-sign Heyward, especially if Jonnu Smith ends up being released. It's been rumored that Heyward could be on his way out, and now that reality could drastically shift with his ability to pick up first downs in critical situations.

The quarterback situation is relatively unknown in the Steel City as March nears, but if Aaron Rodgers returns, fans can be certain that he won't be operating under center for sneaks and tush pushes. The combination of traits that Heyward possesses could very well be worth whatever the small price will be for him in free agency. He is not going to be paid like a top-end player; however, he absolutely has some unteachable attributes that could help the Steelers moving forward.

If there were no reports or updates on the league's plans to potentially ban the Tush Push, it could be harder for Pittsburgh to justify re-signing Heyward. There are new decision-makers in town, but their jobs still entail getting first downs, something that the hybrid player was very successful at in 2025. Small retentions like the one that would be keeping Heyward around add up. He isn't a game-changing player necessarily, but he is able to do things that contribute to winning football games.

Steelers Have Plenty Of Decisions To Make In Coming Weeks

Teams are typically built around the quarterback position. Until Pittsburgh has a legitimate answer from Rodgers, it makes it rather hard to build a roster that is capable of winning consistently. The organization pulled it off in 2025, but it probably had a very strong inkling that the veteran would sign at some point. Now, retirement is looked at as a real possibility, and the Steelers need to know exactly what Rodgers' plans are before making any rash decisions come the new league year and free agency.

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