For a second consecutive year, Tyler Boyd has publicly expressed interest in playing for his hometown team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, who could use some help at receiver after they traded George Pickens to the Cowboys in early May.
A Pittsburgh native, the 30-year-old Boyd reportedly had discussions about a possible homecoming with the Steelers last offseason before signing a one-year deal with the Titans. A longtime Cincinnati Bengal, Boyd caught just 39 passes for 390 yards during his lone season in Nashville.
“Absolutely,” Boyd told Pittsburgh Sports Now at his youth camp on Saturday. “You know, all my family is here. I’d be able to have the majority of them be able to support me.”
Boyd feels that signing with the Steelers is a realistic possibility. While he said that things have been quiet lately, Boyd noted that he expects to hear from teams once training camps start to open up next month.
“I’m real cool with [Mike] Tomlin,” he said. “He’s always been a good person. … When I was at Pitt, we had a good relationship. After practice, I’d walk over there, talk to [Antonio Brown] and those guys, talk to Tomlin, and he’d just pick at different things, where I could get better and get some guidance. I think we had a great friendship.
“If it happens, it happens. If not, it is what it is.”
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It’s certainly possible that the Steelers could reach out to Boyd, who said that he hopes to play three or four more years. While they did acquire DK Metcalf this offseason and have high hopes for their supporting cast, the Steelers may need additional help at receiver if the unit either suffers injuries or fails to live up to expectations.
While Boyd is coming off his worst statistical season in years, there are reasons to believe that he could provide value for the Steelers. Boyd didn’t have the most stable of quarterback situations last season in Tennessee, which surely contributed to his lack of success. In 2023, his last season in Cincinnati, Boyd put up solid numbers with 67 receptions for 667 yards and two touchdowns despite sharing a huddle with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
In 2022, his last full season with Joe Burrow throwing him the ball (Burrow miss the last seven games of the 2023 season after injuring his wrist), Boyd caught 58 passes for 762 yards and five touchdowns. A solid No. 1 receiver early in his career (he once had consecutive seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards), Boyd had settled into being a very solid complementary wideout during his final four years with the Bengals. During that span, Boyd helped the Bengals capture two division titles and a AFC title in 2021.
It’s certainly possible that Boyd could fill a similar role with the Steelers, who this season will try to snap their current drought without a playoff win, which dates back to the end of the 2016 season. While Boyd is obviously interested in a homecoming, the big question is whether or not the Steelers are or would possibly be interested in his services at some point down the road.
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