Patrick Peterson open to Steelers return, aims for 'another shot' at elusive Super Bowl ring in 2024

The Pittsburgh Steelers moved on from cornerback Patrick Peterson, but the veteran isn’t ruling out a potential return to the club.

Peterson said Thursday on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football that the door to a possible return is not closed but added he just wants to chase a ring.

“I would love to return back to Pittsburgh, had a great, me and coach (Mike) Tomlin had a great dialogue when I got that dreaded call of being released,” he said. “But being there in Pittsburgh I had the time of my life, being with coach Tomlin, seeing how he was able to get his guys up week in and week out, no matter what the circumstances were, he told me the door’s still open for business, so we’ll see what happens here in the next couple weeks and month or two, and hopefully I can be a Pittsburgh Steeler again. But a team that is looking for a veteran corner, I’m out there.

“I definitely want to give it another shot to fulfill my long dream and to go win a championship.”

The Steelers released Peterson, who was set to count $9.775 million against the salary cap this season. Pittsburgh moved to replace Peterson’s snaps at corner by trading receiver Diontae Johnson to Carolina in exchange for corner Donte Jackson this week. 

At 33 years old, Peterson is on the final holes of the back nine of his career. Given his age, it’s little surprise he had an up-and-down campaign. A former eight-time Pro Bowler, Peterson owns the smarts to get the job done, but the physical tools are waning. Yet he could provide veteran depth for a club, and his willingness to play safety last season could help his cause. 

The veteran said he’d fill any position to continue playing. 

“Well, that’s always kind of been my motto, even when I was a young pup coming into the league when I never really had that opportunity to showcase my different talents,” he said when asked about playing safety. “But with the Pittsburgh Steelers and coach Tomlin gave me that opportunity to do that, and I feel like I excelled at the position pretty well, so I am that guy that’s willing to play wherever, whenever, however you need me to play in order to help this defense be successful.”

At this stage, it’s likely Peterson will have to wait until clubs get a bigger picture of how their rosters shake out before he gets any type of call to play a 14th season.