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The Pittsburgh Steelers have reportedly claimed veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen hours after he was waived by the Minnesota Vikings, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday (December 2).
"Steelers claimed former Vikings WR Adam Thielen on waivers, per source," Schefter wrote on his X account.
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah announced the team's decision to waive Thielen after he requested more playing time during what is expected to be his last NFL season.
“Last week Adam’s representation approached the team and asked if we would be willing to release Adam, expressing his desire to play a bigger role in the remaining weeks of what he has indicated will be his final NFL season,” Adofo-Mensah said. “Following discuss through the weekend and out of respect for Adam, we have agreed to give him the opportunity to pursue more playing time elsewhere. Adam is one of the all-time great Vikings, and we wish him and his family continued success.”
Thielen, 35, a Minnesota native, spent his first 10 seasons with the franchise before being released during the 2023 offseason and signing with the Carolina Panthers. The Vikings re-acquired the veteran wide receiver this past offseason in a trade with the Panthers, but he's been limited to just eight receptions for 69 yards and four starts in 11 appearances.
“Vikings family — Thank you,” Thielen wrote in a post shared on his X account. “This is tremendously difficult for me to write and certainly not how any of us imagined this to go.
“As a Minnesota native, putting on this uniform over the years and representing this community both on and off the field has always meant that much more to me. This team is in my bones. It’s in my heart and it’s part of my DNA. I will ALWAYS be a Minnesota Viking.”
Thielen ranks fourth in Vikings franchise history for career receptions (542), fifth in yards (6,751) and third in touchdowns (55). The Steelers' acquisition of Thielen came days after quarterback Aaron Rodgers vented his frustrations about not being on the same page with his receivers and implying that some skipped film sessions after Pittsburgh's blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills.
"When there's film sessions, everybody shows up, and when I check to a route, you do the right route," Rodgers said via ESPN's Brooke Pryor.