Former Bengals Wide Receiver Would ‘Absolutely’ Play For Steelers

At this point in the offseason, the majority of the Pittsburgh Steelers work has been done. However, there’s still a crop of veteran free agents available who are looking for new homes, and one of them may be willing to play for the Steelers, even though he’s spent the majority of his career playing for their division rival, the Cincinnati Bengals.

That player would be veteran wide receiver Tyler Boyd, who spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Bengals before spending the 2024 campaign with the Tennessee Titans. Boyd remains a free agent, and while he struggled during his lone season with the Titans, he still is a valuable slot receiver who could help whichever teams he chooses to join.

While it was fair to wonder if he’d hold some ill will against his longtime foe, it turns out Boyd would actually be very open to signing with the Steelers if they were interested in him. Boyd, who is from Pennsylvania, said he’s open to a homecoming when asked whether he’d be willing to sign with Pittsburgh in free agency.

“Absolutely,” Boyd said per Austin Bechtold of 93.7 The Fan. “All my family is here. I would be able to have all my family support me.”

With Tennessee’s offense being a mess last season, Boyd was caught up in their woes, as he caught just 39 passes for 390 yards in 16 games. He’s not far removed from some successful seasons with the Bengals, though, so it’s fair to wonder if he could put together a bounce-back year in a more game-ready offense.

That’s something the Steelers could offer, and they may have a need for wide receiver help. While DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin III are leading the way at this spot, there are a lot of question marks behind them. It is worth noting that the team previously signed another veteran in Robert Woods who has previously filled a similar role as Boyd on offense throughout his career.

Still, Boyd could be worth taking a flier on, especially given his ties to the Pittsburgh area. You can never have too many playmakers, and if Boyd still has some gas left in the tank, he could look to make his mark on the Steelers-Bengals rivalry with his hometown team.

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