Pittsburg, PA
Heitritter: Juan Thornhill Is Pittsburgh's Biggest Free Agent Wildcard
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed S Juan Thornhill back in March to replace S Damontae Kazee, filling the vital third safety role behind Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott. Thornhill signed with the team on a one-year deal worth $3 million, representing a prove-it deal scenario for the veteran defensive back.
When you look back on Thornhill’s career to date, his signing makes him arguably the team’s biggest free agent wild card heading into the 2025 season. Thornhill comes to Pittsburgh after a two-year stint with the Cleveland Browns that was lackluster, at best. He played and started 11 games both in 2023 and 2024, missing time due to calf injuries that have been an issue dating back to his final season with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022.
Thornhill signed a three-year deal worth $21 million with Cleveland ahead of the 2023 season, but only got to see two years of that contact as his play didn’t warrant the money for which he signed. Thornhill managed to rack up 104 total tackles (72 solo), one tackle for loss, four pass deflections and no interceptions in his two seasons with the Browns, failing to secure a turnover in either season while having his effort questioned at times. That included one play against the New Orleans Saints where he noticeably pulled up in pursuit of the ball carrier and allowed a touchdown.
However, when you look at Thornhill’s tenure in Kansas City, you see a safety who was more than deserving of the contract that he received from Cleveland. Thornhill started 52 of 65 games played during his time with the Chiefs in the regular season, posting 234 total tackles (161 solo) five tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, 20 pass deflections and eight interceptions (one returned for a touchdown).
He won two Super Bowls with Kansas City, providing an athletic defender on the back end of the defense who showed impressive pursuit to the football and the range to impact passes as a center field safety.
Head coach Mike Tomlin spoke highly of Thornhill after signing him, stating the need for three quality safeties on the field to better match up with multiple tight end sets and needing guys that can be scheme/position versatile. Thornhill fits the bill, having played 3,079 snaps at free safety, 802 in the box and 639 in the slot across 4,657 total NFL snaps. He moved around more during his time in Kansas City, but Cleveland primarily kept him at his natural free safety spot.
Tomlin also mentioned the signing of Thornhill as the reason why the Steelers didn’t select a safety in the 2025 NFL Draft, stating that they felt comfortable with what he brought to the table as their No. 3 safety behind Fitzpatrick and Elliott. Pittsburgh did sign Iowa safety Sebastian Castro as a UDFA at the conclusion of the draft. He also brings some versatility to the table, but Thornhill is clearly the favorite to see the most time behind the starters and be that third safety Pittsburgh deploys in their sub packages.
It’s a tale of two stories for Juan Thornhill. On one hand, he looked like a talented, young safety during his time with the Chiefs, having his play earn him a sizeable contract in free agency. On the other hand, injuries and suspect play during his time with the Browns led to an early termination of his contract, allowing Pittsburgh to sign him on the cheap this offseason.
Thornhill has plenty to prove this season with the Steelers, as he looks to show his last two years in Cleveland were a fluke and more hampered due to injuries. He looks to return to the productive player he was during his time in Kansas City. He’ll be a name to watch throughout training camp and the preseason as his play can either provide a huge boost to Pittsburgh’s secondary or keep it relatively the same to where it was a season ago.
Pittsburg softball improved to 16-4 on the season by sweeping host Kansas City Piper 17-1 in five innings and 15-3 in six innings Saturday afternoon.
Breck Slaughter earned the win in both games. She allowed one run on two hits with 10 strikeouts and two walks over five innings during the opener. Then, she allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks over three innings.
AnnaLynn Hudson pitched the last three innings of the day for the Purple Dragons.
Offensively, Pittsburg scored 17 runs on 20 hits during the opener and all nine Dragons reached the hit column. Kenleigh Warford led with four hits, Breck Slaughter and Micah Gomez each had three and Brecken Campbell, Brette Pasteur, Laney Trisler and Emily Shriver each had two. Slaughter, Trisler and Gomez each doubled twice and Pasteur and Shriver also recorded two-baggers. Brilee Mantooth homered. Gomez led the Dragons with four RBI, Campbell had three and Trisler, Mantooth and Shriver drove in two each.
The Dragons closed out their sweep with 15 runs on just 11 hits. Pasteur had a monster performance at the plate with four runs scored, three hits in three at-bats, two home runs and five RBI; she also worked a pair of walks and proved to be an utter pain for Piper pitchers Reagan Asbury and Harper Cordill.
Campbell also homered and finished with three hits for the Dragons. Slaughter and Shriver both finished with two hits and both seniors doubled.
Pittsburg won four games during the week and outscored Labette County, Independence and Piper by a combined 59-11. The Dragons return to Southeast Kansas League play on the road Monday against Independence; the Dragons beat the Bulldogs 14-1 in five innings last Thursday in Pittsburg.
The Dragons are looking to wrap up at least a share of the SEK League title.
Pittsburg 612 44 — 17 20 0
KC Piper 000 01 — 1 2 5
Breck Slaughter and Peyton Morey; Stella Utter and Ginny Garcia. W: Slaughter. L: Utter. 2B—PHS: Slaughter 2, Brette Pasteur, Emily Shriver, Laney Trisler 2, Micah Gomez 2; KCP: Faith Flournoy. HR—PHS: Brilee Mantooth.
——
Pittsburg 225 105 — 15 7 2
KC Piper 100 101 — 3 6 6
Breck Slaughter, AnnaLynn Hudson (4) and Peyton Morey; Reagan Asbury, Harper Cordill (5) and Faith Flournoy. W: Slaughter. L: Asbury. 2B—PHS: Slaughter. HR—PHs: Brecken Campbell, Brette Pasteur 2; KCP: Ginny Garcia.
This sports reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/fund/support-local-journalism-project-fund/
Pittsburg, PA
Steelers insider just poured gasoline on the Aaron Rodgers fire following latest report of what he was doing in Pittsburgh
Aaron Rodgers was supposed to be in Pittsburgh over the weekend, with the thought that a deal would get done. One Steelers insider backs the report, but adds details that only compound a messy situation.
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
At this point, the events of the past two seasons between Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers could probably be a book or movie. Everything from walks on the beach, to him throwing with DK Metcalf before signing, to someone capturing him driving a rental car into Pittsburgh has made waves.
This offseason was supposed to be different, and a decision from Rodgers was supposed to come much earlier. However, the Steelers remain in a holding pattern, and one that many believed would end over the weekend, after it was reported that Rodgers would be in town to sign a contract. Well, that seems to be true, but like much of this saga over the past two years, there seems to be a holdup.
Aaron Rodgers 2025 stats
- 3.4 TD to INT ratio.
- 3,322 passing yards.
- 65.7% completion percentage.
Aaron Rodgers visited Pittsburgh, but not the Steelers over the weekend
“Aaron Rodgers has been in town for a couple days, but the Steelers have not met with him yet and instead have been talking with his agent. Rodgers has stayed away from the team’s South Side facility while the three-day rookie minicamp has been going on.” – Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The news from Dulac comes on the heels of the report from 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh that Rodgers would be visiting the Steelers over the weekend, with the intention to sign his deal.
That report was backed up nationally by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, but some in Steelers media (Mark Kaboly) said that if Rodgers was going to be in town, that was news to the team.
Omar Khan said as much during a radio hit after the reports surfaced, saying that he didn’t know where Rodgers was, but that talks remained fluid. Of course, general managers, including Omar Khan, have been known to bend the truth, which seems to lie somewhere in the middle here.
The bottom line with Aaron Rodgers
It’s obvious to me that the Steelers and Rodgers are held up over money. I know that it was said to not be the case, but you don’t intentionally avoid meeting with a team and have your agent talk to them, just days after they use a tender that determines your 2026 salary, if you’re just going to sign.
I would be surprised if Rodgers doesn’t sign at this point, but it doesn’t change the monetary situation that needs to be worked out here.
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