Steelers Sign Former Browns Safety

The Pittsburgh Steelers have found safety depth from within the AFC North.

Nov 21, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Juan Thornhill (1) celebrates a missed field goal by the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers desperately needed depth at safety behind Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott, and they've finally found their answer in the second week of free agency.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, the Steelers are signing Juan Thornhill away from the Cleveland Browns on a one-year deal.

The #Steelers are signing FA S Juan Thornhill to a 1-year deal, per me and @MikeGarafolo. An opportunity with one of the NFL’s best defenses to show he’s still a top safety. The former #Browns standout lands in a division he knows well. pic.twitter.com/hN0ikaXZOb
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2025

Thornhill started 11 games for Cleveland in 2024, logging 49 total tackles and three passes defended over that stretch.

The year prior with the Browns in 2023, he also started 11 contests and notched 54 tackles.

The 29-year-old was a second-round pick out of Virginia by the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2019 NFL Draft.

Thornhill helped the team win the Super Bowl as a rookie, starting all 16 regular season games while racking up 58 tackles, five passes defended and a pick-six.

He appeared in all 16 contests during 2020 as well, though he made just eight starts. During that campaign, Thornhill made 41 tackles with one interception.

He started 12 of 17 games in 2021 before logging 16 starts in 2022. That season, he came away with three interceptions while being an integral part of Kansas City's defense as they took down the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.

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