Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to sign veteran tight end Robert Tonyan, a former teammate of Aaron Rodgers when he was with the Green Bay Packers, after a tryout at minicamp.
According to a report by Brooke Pryor of ESPN, the Steelers and Tonyan have come to terms on a one-year deal.
Tonyan, 32, spent the last season as the No. 3 tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, working behind starter Travis Kelce and backup Noah Gray. He’ll likely have the same role in Pittsburgh, slotting behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington.
In 2025, Tonyan appeared n all 17 games with the Chiefs. He was targeted just one time, and caught one pass for one yard. He played 133 snaps of offense and 108 snaps on special teams.
Before his time with the Chiefs, Tonyan spent the 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings and 2023 with the Chicago Bears.
The 6-foot-5, 240-pound McHenry, Illinois native is most well known for his time with the Packers, where he teamed up with Rodgers and Mike McCarthy. Tonyan got his start on the Green Bay practice squad in 2017, after being cut by the Detroit Lions as a UDFA out of Indiana State.
Tonyan did not appear in a game that season, and caught just four passes in 2018, but slowly worked his way into a regular role. In 2020, he started eight games and set career highs with 52 receptions, 586 yards and 11 touchdowns.
In his nine-year NFL career, Tonyan has amassed a total of 1,550 receiving yards on 149 catches and has scored 17 touchdowns.
Tonyan was one of five professional tryouts to take part in the team’s two-day minicamp at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Tuesday and Wednesday, a group that also included former first-round edge rusher Jamin Davis.
The Steelers will need to make a corresponding move on their 90-man offseason roster to make room for Tonyan.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Sign Veteran TE, Former Teammate of Aaron Rodgers after Tryout
