The Pittsburgh Steelers have a great idea of what the Week 1 roster might look like for the 2026 season, but the organization is going to continue to try and put the best team together before training camp. This will promote competition in certain position groups, and hopefully put the strongest product on the field for the regular season. One area Pittsburgh has been expected to add to is the receiving game, as some more pass catchers could be utilized on the roster, especially for depth purposes.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan (left) and Owner Art Rooney II (right) on the field at a team practice while having a discussion.
Some fans want the team to bring in another veteran wide receiver, but the front office chose to go out and sign a veteran tight end in Robert Tonyan. The deal was announced on Thursday as he was at minicamp for a tryout. He has a history with Aaron Rodgers from their time together with the Green Bay Packers, and Tonyan tied for the lead in receiving touchdowns in the league for a tight end back in 2020 with 11. Brooke Pryor was the first with the news.
Reunion in Pittsburgh: Steelers agreed to a one-year deal with TE Robert Tonyan, per source.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) June 4, 2026
The one-time Green Bay tight end, who was at minicamp for a tryout, caught 11 TDs from Aaron Rodgers in 2020.
This is obviously a reunion for Rodgers and Tonyan, and hopefully their production from the 2020 season can carry over into 2026. Tonyan is going to be at least the third tight end on the depth chart, if he even makes the final roster. However, it is good to know that Rodgers has another target on this team that he can trust, and Tonyan's experience should make him fairly reliable whenever he does see the field.
chicagobears.com
Former Packers tight end Robert Tonyan.
Tonyan spent the 2025 season with the Kansas City Chiefs, but outside of that, most of his career has been spent in the NFC North. He began his time in the NFL with the Packers, and he played there for five seasons after being undrafted in 2017. After his time with the Packers, Tonyan chose to sign with the Chicago Bears, and then the Minnesota Vikings.
The production throughout Tonyan's career has been bizarre. He has not always had the most opportunities, but he has made plays. He and Kelce tied for the league-lead in receiving touchdowns for tight ends back in 2020 with 11 each as mentioned, but he only has 17 total on his career. His best season since then included 470 receiving yards and two scores. He has had some bouts with injuries throughout his career, but nothing tremendously serious. He likely won't have a huge role in Pittsburgh, but hopefully he can make some things happen if he is needed to.
Steelers' Tight End Room Looks Amazing Going Into 2026
Pittsburgh's tight end room looks great with Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington leading the way. Both are expected to take on bigger roles in the passing game during the 2026 season, which should be good news for the offense. Rookie Riley Nowakowski can also play some tight end, but will be used as a fullback and h-back as well.
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Steelers tight ends Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth celebrate a big play during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
The final roster ahead of the 2025 season included four tight ends, and the three mentioned above are locks to make the final roster. That leaves one spot open, and it will probably go to one of Tonyan, Jaheim Bell, or JJ Galbreath. It will be a battle, and it will likely go to whoever can prove their worth on special teams. Tonyan's existing relationship with Rodgers should help his case too.
What do you think of this new signing for the Steelers? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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