Mike McCarthy Robert Tonyan
Mike McCarthy Robert Tonyan
Despite selecting a fullback/tight end hybrid in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft and having veterans Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth on the roster, the Pittsburgh Steelers needed some additional depth at tight end entering training camp.
Enter veteran and former Green Bay Packers tight end Robert Tonyan. A veteran tryout player during mandatory minicamp, Tonyan did enough to earn a Steelers offseason roster spot, and he’s done nothing but state his case to make the 53-man roster during training camp.
Tonyan then had a tremendous showing in the Steelers’ preseason opener against Packers, hauling in four passes for 61 yards.
HOWARD TO TONYAN. TD???? #Steelers pic.twitter.com/VDZwsqkCX4
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) August 14, 2026
That has head coach Mike McCarthy excited about the veteran tight end. Speaking with reporters Sunday ahead of a padded practice at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, McCarthy raved about Tonyan.
“Oh yeah, I had Robert as a young player when he had some great years up there in Green Bay, even after I left. I had him as a promising young player,” McCarthy said, according to the official transcript provided by the team. “We call him Bobby now, because that’s what the players call him. But the biggest thing for Robert when he came in was really to see if he was healthy. So, the fact that he was out there was frankly a blessing for us. I mean, that’s been an excellent signing, especially at the time that we got him.
“So, he’s having a hell of a camp, which is no surprise. It was great to see him healthy there in the minicamp and he’s doing a hell of a job.”
Tonyan spent the final month of 2017 and then the 2018 season with the Packers under McCarthy before the veteran head coach was fired late in the year. During the 2018 season, Tonyan hauled in just four passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. He followed that up with a 10-catch, 100-yard season before hauling in 52 passes for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2020.
That put him on the map, but in recent years injuries took a toll on Tonyan. Though he had a 53-catch season in 2022, he’s had just 12 receptions in the last three seasons while spending time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears.
He’s healthy now though and is having a great camp at 32 years old. He’s reunited with quarterback Aaron Rodgers and McCarthy and has served as a dependable pass catcher for the young quarterbacks on the roster, showing great chemistry with second-year pro Will Howard in the Steelers’ preseason opener.
Right now, Tonyan seems like a roster lock. He provides great depth at the tight end position, and has the Steelers thrilled with the summer signing.