Steelers' Patrick Queen Addresses Contract Rumors

Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Patrick Queen, who is present during the second week of OTAs, fielded questions about his contract situation and future with the organization.

When asked if the Steelers have had conversations with him about a potential extension, Queen stated that there were some talks but that there isn't much, if any, momentum on that front and that his focus is on putting both himself and the team in a spot to succeed this season.

"It was talks here and there, but nothing crazy... no movement either way," Queen said. "At the end of the day they've got business to handle, and my business is to go out there and play the best football I can. Put myself in a good position, put our team in a good position so that we can both be successful."

On the topic of whether or not he'd like to get a deal done this offseason, Queen said that he isn't stressing about it since he's set to earn a healthy amount of money this year while reiterating that his focus is handling his business on the field.

"I've got a good amount of money coming in this year, so at the end of the day I could care less," Queen said. "If they do want to extend, cool. If not, cool. Like I said, at the end of the day it's a business. I got my business to handle, they've got theirs to handle. The better I play, the better we're both going to be, so at the end of the day, that's all I care about."

Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen (6) drops into coverage against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Is Pittsburgh the Right Place for Queen?

Queen admitted that his arrival to Pittsburgh has required an adjustment period since signing a three-year, $41 million deal as a free agent in March 2024, which saw him leave the Baltimore Ravens after five seasons with the organization, but that he's grown to enjoy the city.

Furthermore, he had nothing but positive things to say about his teammates and new coaches.

"Bout to be my third year here, love the guys in the locker room," Queen said. "Love the coaches already. It's a lot of cool people around here once you get to meet them and get accustomed to everything around here. It's just a different place than back home, so it takes a while to adjust, but I'm starting to like it."

Should Steelers Extend Queen?

Queen has had an up-and-down tenure in Pittsburgh. The 2025 campaign wasn't a positive one, though, as he racked up missed tackles while overall dealing with inconsistency in the middle of the defense.

The 26-year-old handled the "green dot" duties over his first two years with the team, meaning he received the defensive play call, though those responsibilities might be spread around more now that Patrick Graham is running the show on that side of the ball instead of Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin.

Queen, a two-time Pro Bowler, is a solid starting linebacker and a useful player for the Steelers, but it's tough to justify handing him an extension.

It remains to be seen how he performs and fits in Graham's defense, and he has to earn back some goodwill after a rough showing last season.

Queen's a huge component of the unit, but having him play out the campaign and reconvening next offseason feels like the right course of action for Pittsburgh.

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