Steelers Cut Rookie Tight End After Minicamp

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed a veteran tight end and made a corresponding move on the other end.

Arizona State Sun Devils tight end Chamon Metayer (7) runs with the ball for a touchdown after making a catch during the second quarter in the Big-12 showdown at jack Trice Stadium on Nov. 1, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have made a group of moves attempting to address some backend depth concerns with their tight end room.

The team signed veteran tight end Robert Tonyan, and made a corresponding move by releasing undrafted free agent rookie tight end Chamon Metayer.

Metayer is a first-year tight end who spent his collegiate career between three schools. He began in 2021 with Cincinnati, then moving to Colorado in 2024 for one semester and finishing his career at Arizona State in 2024 and 2025.

Metayer totaled 10 touchdowns across his two seasons at Arizona State, totaling 681 yards in his final two seasons as a starter. He was signed by the Steelers as a free agent just after the NFL Draft, and remained with the team until June 4.

He was one of two tight ends signed by the team as an undrafted free agent alongside USC's Lake McRee, and one of three players who played tight end in college to be signed by the Steelers in Riley Nowakowski.

Tonyan, on the other hand, is a long-tenured NFL veteran. Playing his collegiate games at Indiana State, he was signed as an undrafted free agent in the 2017 NFL Draft cycle to the Detroit Lions. Following a release during that preseason, he was signed to the Packers and spent his first 6 seasons there. He spent 2023 with the Chicago Bears, before moving to the Minnesota Vikings in 2024 to complete playing for each team in the NFC North. Ahead of the 2025 season, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, spending 2025 with them.

How Tonyan fits for the Steelers

Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Robert Tonyan (85) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Notably, Tonyan spent his first couple seasons in the league as a teammate of current Steelers starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He appeared in all 17 games for the Kansas City Chiefs, but had one target across the entire season.

The moves at tight end are particularly interesting due to the recent extension of tight end Darnell Washington, as his contract will keep him in the spotlight for quite a while. The move for Tonyan signals two possible things in this scenario. First of all, it shows that the team would like to add some veteran leadership for the coming season, outside of Rodgers. On the other side, it shows that the team would like to continue to add to their depth. It is certainly possible that Tonyan still has some ability as a tight end, so it's a low-risk addition with a possible high reward.

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