Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has hardly ever shied away from fixing roster issues through a veteran since he came to Pittsburgh in 2007. Amid the significant roster moves they have made, Tomlin is ensuring their lineup is properly fortified – even if that means spending $10 million on a secondary player.
The Steelers signed 13-year veteran cornerback Darius Slay on a one-year, $10 million contract, making a crucial addition to their cornerback room. However, Tomlin’s decision to sign Slay did raise some eyebrows, especially since they had the chance to add fresh, young talent instead of a veteran through the 2025 NFL Draft.
Here’s what the Steelers head coach had to say regarding the addition of Slay on Sunday at the NFL’s annual league meeting.
Mike Tomlin on Why He Chose Darius Slay
One of the main reasons Slay enticed Tomlin more than anyone else during the 2025 free agency was his robust performance against the Steelers.
“There’s a guy that we’ve competed against a lot over the years. I’ve just got so much respect for his [Slay’s] talents, his resume, his approach to business, his football intellect. He’s a good veteran player,” Tomlin explained.
Another reason was that the same formula worked well for Pittsburgh over the past few seasons with Joe Haden and Patrick Peterson.
“We’ve done similar business in recent years. Haden, ‘Pat P’ [Peterson], and so we’re excited about getting the guy with some real ‘know-how’ and experience to help us in our collective efforts.”
Peterson was one reason Slay joined the franchise; Slay mentioned hearing nice things about the team from Peterson, and he was also a big Haden fan.
Tomlin has yet to clarify whether Slay will be the starter. However, it is highly probable that Tomlin will make the most of his veteran CB by pairing his experience with third-year CB Joey Porter Jr.
Another strong possibility would be for the Steelers to draft a young cornerback in the 2025 NFL Draft to deploy with Slay. PFSN’s 2025 NFL Mock Draft has Pittsburg drafting Kentucky’s CB Maxwell Harrison as their Round One pick.
The franchise also has gaping holes at the quarterback and running back positions. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is still in the free agency, making him a hot target for Tomlin, given his preference for veteran players.
It will be interesting to see how the situation between Rodgers and Steelers will play out.