At 35 years old and with a place in Minnesota Vikings lore, veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen knew he was making a difficult decision to ask out of the only place he’s ever really known in the NFL. But when Thielen requested that the Vikings waive him and give him a chance to play elsewhere in the final season of his career, the 12th-year veteran had one place in mind: Pittsburgh.
Fortunately for Thielen, that’s exactly where he landed. Appearing on The Christian Kuntz Podcast that published Thursday morning, Thielen explained why he felt like he was going to land with the Steelers, and what the transition has been like as he gears up for an AFC playoff game against the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football.
“From afar it felt like this would’ve been where I would end up,” Thielen said of joining the Steelers, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “Again, when you’re a veteran and you get released after the trade deadline, you have to clear waivers. So there is a lot outta your control. So I was a little nervous.
“So yeah, it was definitely a risk, but it paid off. Excited to be here.”
In the final year of his career with sights set on retirement, it would have made sense for Thielen to simply play out the stretch with the Vikings, stay home and close out his career in a place he has had a great deal of success. But with a lack of playing time and feeling like he still had something left to offer a team, whether that was a contender or a team playing out the string, Thielen wanted to end his career his way.
That led to him being waived by the Vikings and landing in Pittsburgh, giving the Steelers a veteran receiver behind DK Metcalf, strengthening the group for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
“I was hoping that that’s how it would play out. I felt like it was a really good fit for both sides,” Thielen said. “And yeah, you think about Mike T[omlin] and his history, what, 19 seasons without a losing season? I mean, that’s crazy. That’s insane. And so, really respected him from afar from a long time.”
Though Thielen knew there was a possibility a non-playoff team would put in a claim for him, he had his sights set on Pittsburgh, where he’d get a chance to not only play under Mike Tomlin but also work with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a guy he had a previous relationship with off the field.
Turns out, the Steelers had their eyes on him, too, putting in a successful waiver claim.
While Thielen hasn’t been much of a factor in the passing game, hauling in just 11 receptions for 117 yards, he’s been a great addition to a young offense from a preparation standpoint, and he’s thrown himself into a do-everything role with the Steelers, serving as a good run blocker.
What a rip here from #Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers to WR Adam Thielen for 28 yards.
Can’t place this ball any better.
Pittsburgh had a lot of looks like this in Week 14 against Baltimore with Thielen. Good to see them attack this again. pic.twitter.com/iL4E2H74KX
— Josh Carney (@ByJoshCarney) January 5, 2026
He’s starting to have more of a role in the passing game, and that should only increase with Metcalf returning from his two-game suspension, opening things up further. Thielen had a huge 28-yard catch against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18, and he’ll need to find ways to make plays in the Wild Card game against the Texans Monday night.
Thielen’s where he wanted to be, and he’s preparing for a playoff game once again, which is what he had in mind. Now, he needs to maximize that opportunity with some playmaking.
