Category: Patrick Peterson

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin is undecided about Patrick Peterson

Patrick Peterson has one year remaining on his contract to the tune of $9.775 million.

As all non-playoff teams are this time of year, the Pittsburgh Steelers are making their way through exit interviews.

One player who’s gone through the process is Patrick Peterson.

Though he likely knows, Mike Tomlin only said that it’s too early to (publicly) make the call on whether he’ll return to Pittsburgh in 2024.

“I did meet with Pat (Peterson), we had a good exit interview,” Tomlin said in his season-end press conference. “I’m really appreciative of his experience and professionalism and who he is as a man and player, what he’s willing to do. But from a decision-making standpoint, we’re just really at the infancy of it all from that standpoint.”

The inevitable happens and players age. At 33, Peterson’s age was certainly on display this season, which led many to speculate if the Steelers will permanently move him to safety.

Of his 1,186 total defensive snaps, Peterson played 252 in the safety role, according to Pro Football Focus‘ advanced stats.

Peterson was initially brought in not only based on past experience but also as a mentor to the young defensive backs room. Joey Porter Jr. has shown he can hang with the big dogs and I think he’ll be just fine without him.

Per Over the Cap, Peterson’s remaining contract year carries a cap number of $9.775 million or 4% of the cap. Should the Steelers cut him before June 1, it’ll save $6.850 million with $2.925 million of dead money on the books.

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Steelers CB Patrick Peterson has pulse of fans after Bengals win

Patrick Peterson knows just how Steelers fans feel.

Gone are the days of the Pittsburgh Steelers manhandling their opponents, wracking up 30+ points and winning in convincing fashion. For most of their wins over the last three seasons, fans have been watching the Steelers hang on by a thread in their victories.

Pittsburgh’s 20-16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday was no different. But it was a dub nonetheless, and that’s all that matters in the end.

Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson knows how fans feel. “I know we gave a lot of people a heart attack, but we did that s–t,” he said in an Instagram video.

Fans have grown accustomed to weekly heart attacks as the Steelers fight tooth and nail only to win by a narrow margin.

But December is coming, a month in which the franchise is historically in the top 10 of the league. Since 2013, the Steelers are 29-15 in the most critical month of the NFL season schedule.

They return to Acrisure (or Heinz Field as Kenny Pickett and many fans still call it) Sunday to take on Kyler Murray and the 2-10 Arizona Cardinals. This game should be where the Steelers destroy the Cardinals and leave them licking their wounds.

But they won’t. It’ll be another close one with fans sweating it out until the end.

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Steelers HC Mike Tomlin with bold claim about Patrick Peterson: ‘Essentially he is Cam Sutton’

Patrick Peterson has struggled at cornerback but seems to be transitioning to safety.

On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers took on the Los Angeles Rams and we saw cornerback Patrick Peterson play a multitude of roles for the Steelers secondary. He wasn’t particularly great at any of them but I digress.

On Tuesday, during his Tuesday press conference, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talked about Peterson and made a rather bold comparison when he said Peterson is essentially Cam Sutton.

We understand what Tomlin was saying and yes, Peterson is moving around the formation. But in terms of whether or not Peterson has replaced Sutton’s talent at those spots, the answer is absolutely not.

Not putting more effort into keeping Sutton is the roster move that is haunting the Steelers the most right now. The secondary is in disarray with Peterson and Levi Wallace both struggling and neither strong safety on the roster brings much to the party opposite Minkah Fitzpatrick. Peterson provides a ton in terms of experience, mentoring and leadership but what the team needs now is production.

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Steelers HC Mike Tomlin explains why he signed Patrick Peterson

Patrick Peterson hasn’t been the player he was in Minnesota last season.

Despite an excellent game against the Las Vegas Raiders, cornerback Patrick Peterson hasn’t given the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary what they need.

Through six games, Peterson’s allowed 19 receptions on 33 targets, 15 first downs and four touchdowns. He’s logged just one through six games after tying for second in interceptions in 2022.

In his Tuesday press conference, Mike Tomlin addressed moving Peterson around, a primary reason he was brought to Pittsburgh in free agency.

“That’s why we brought Pat here. He’s a veteran player, he’s smart. If you remember, we moved Cam Sutton around a lot. Essentially, he is Cam Sutton. Position flexibility was an attractive component to the acquisition of him.”

According to Pro Football Focus advanced stats, Peterson has lined up in zone 60 percent, in man 39 percent and press 22 percent. Tomlin hinted at Peterson playing some safety this season, but he’s only seen 11 looks there and 86 at slot corner. He’s usually lined up over or outside the right wide receiver (298 snaps).

Perhaps Peterson’s best quality has been behind the scenes. He’s been a great mentor for Joey Porter Jr., the future of Pittsburgh’s secondary.

According to Over the Cap, Peterson is owed a $3.85 roster bonus in March with a total cap number of $9.775 (3.8 percent of the cap). Should he be released after the season, $2.925 dead money will be on the books, but the team would save $6.85 million.

It’s not just Peterson that’s the problem. The entire Steelers secondary has been a major disappointment in 2023. The 29th-ranked unit has allowed a 63.5 completion percentage and 12.3 yards per completion to start the season.

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Steelers CB Patrick Peterson words come back to haunt him

Pittsburgh Steelers DB Patrick Peterson predicted a big game for himself versus 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, and the opposite happened.

There’s always a risk that comes with showing swagger in predicting something will happen on a national stage such as the NFL that it’ll come back to haunt you.

That’s exactly what happened to Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Patrick Peterson.

Though he had never played a game in a Steelers uniform, he forecasted an interception of 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. “When I get my pick Sunday, we’ll talk about it,” Peterson said on his All Things Covered podcast with ex-Steeler Bryant McFadden. “There is some tell signs out there that tells us what plays we’re gonna get from those guys in certain situations.”

So much for that. He might want to be the better man and eat his words after giving up two scores and 129 yards to receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Peterson brushed it off. “I had two opportunities to get two picks, I just didn’t grab it in,” he told TribLive’s Tim Benz of the “tells” he was so confident about.

In his first game after recovering from an elbow injury that cut his rookie season short, the defense allowed 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy to pass the ball with ease. He went 19-of-29 for 220 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Peterson’s prediction came far from true.

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