The Pittsburgh Steelers are claiming veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen off waivers, a team source confirmed to The Athletic.

The Minnesota Vikings waived Thielen, who was in his second stint with the franchise, on Monday.

The 35-year-old was inactive for Sunday’s 26-0 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said in a statement on Monday that Thielen’s representation approached the team and asked for his release.

The Steelers are claiming veteran receiver Adam Thielen off waivers, source confirms.

Thielen, 35, caught eight passes in 11 games this season. He was a healthy scratch on Sunday and requested his release from the Vikings.

— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) December 2, 2025

Minnesota traded a 2026 fifth-round draft pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for Thielen, a 2027 fifth-round pick and a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick, in August.

The veteran, however, never established a role in the Vikings’ offense. He’s tallied eight receptions for 69 yards in 185 offensive snaps this year.

Thielen spent his first nine NFL seasons in Minnesota after the franchise signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He earned two Pro Bowl nods during his Vikings tenure and ranks fourth in the franchise’s history with 542 receptions and fifth with 6,751 receiving yards.

Steelers add depth at WR

When the Steelers traded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys during the offseason, the team had a level of confidence that young receivers Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson could step up and help fill the void. However, as the season has unfolded, it’s been clear that the Steelers are missing depth and talent at the position.

DK Metcalf leads Pittsburgh with 45 receptions. Behind him, Austin has only 26 catches for 278 yards and Wilson has 12 catches for 166. Receivers aren’t consistently creating separation. Lately, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has also been frustrated with pass catchers who haven’t been on the same page.

Given Thielen’s age and the fact that he caught just eight passes in 11 games, there should be a level of skepticism that he can significantly move the needle. Sure, earlier in his career, he would have made sense with Rodgers as a big-bodied target who once ran precise routes and was willing to go over the middle of the field. But if he was a healthy scratch in his final game in Minnesota, how much can he open up the offense? That said, this was a low-risk addition for a Steelers team that had a pretty glaring need at the position. The downside is low, but the upside likely isn’t much higher. – Mike DeFabo, Steelers beat writer

Steelers release Slay

When the Steelers signed cornerback Darius Slay to a one-year, $10 million deal, the team initially believed he could be part of a remade secondary that would be capable of playing man coverage against any offense in the league. However, he looked much more like a 34-year-old player at the end of his career than a six-time Pro Bowler. Injured often this year, Slay sustained a concussion in Week 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers. He lost his starting job the following week to James Pierre, a former undrafted free agent.

When the Steelers acquired Asante Samuel Jr., Slay slid further down the depth chart. On Sunday, he was a healthy scratch. Now, the Steelers are moving on in order to make room for Samuel on the active roster.

The Slay experience is a perfect microcosm for what’s gone wrong for the Steelers’ defense. The Steelers thought they had a star. But now, it looks like they paid too much for a player who was too old and then expected too much out of him. On an underperforming Steelers defense, he’s not the only one that fits into the category of overpaid, overrated or past his prime. — DeFabo