Sometimes, the grass isn't always greener, and you can say that for most free agents and other players who leave via trade. One way or another, many former Steelers seem to struggle once they depart Pittsburgh. It might be an odd circumstance, but many players have seemed to stumble while trying to find footing outside the organization. Sometimes, they fail to adjust to new environments.
While reflecting on this past year, it is hard not to think about those players who left Pittsburgh in trades and free agency this past offseason. They now had an entire year to play football on their new clubs, but some have struggled to find success.
Pittsburgh might not think too fondly of the Steelers right now, but it could always be much worse.
Diontae Johnson, WR, Baltimore Ravens
There might not be a more obvious case of a player self-destructing in NFL history. Everyone who pays attention to football news knows the situation with Diontae Johnson. For those who don't know, he has been traded twice this past season and claimed two times on the waiver wire.
The struggling receiver went from Pittsburgh to Carolina, then Baltimore to Houston, and now Baltimore again.
Everyone thought he could get paid in 2025 when he was dealt from the Steelers to the Panthers in March, but things continued to deteriorate. Johnson was a top receiver, yet his concerns in the locker room have deflated his value. Many are starting to question if he has a future in the NFL, let alone any possibility of receiving a big contract in free agency.
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Mason Rudolph, QB, Tennessee Titans
Folk heroes seem to arise out of Pittsburgh each football season. Last year it was Mason Rudolph, who provided some sense of normalcy in his starts. Many thought he deserved another shot at winning the job at quarterback for the Steelers, but that never materialized. Rudolph signed with the Tennessee Titans to try and recapture some of his starting brilliance from 2023.
Sadly, Rudolph couldn't find the same magic in Tennessee that he had in Pittsburgh.
Will Levis was benched for Rudolph this past campaign, but he eventually started a few more times. Things were ugly within the Titans organization in 2024, so their fanbase should expect countless alterations. Rudolph heads into free agency again, and don't count out the possibility of him reuniting with the club that once relied on him to save their season.
Levi Wallace, CB, Denver Broncos
No one expected much out of Levi Wallace once he departed the Steelers this past free agency. He got exposed in coverage several times due to his lack of speed at the cornerback position. Pittsburgh had a rough go of things during the 2023 season as he and Patrick Peterson manned the secondary. Speed kills in the NFL which led to Wallace finding a new home.
Sometimes a fresh start is just what the doctor ordered. That was not the case for Wallace during his time with the Denver Broncos. He signed a one-year deal with them, but it was a season to forget. He got a couple of starts, but he showed why he shouldn't be a starter. The seven-year veteran was cut after Week 16, and it looks like his days in the NFL could be numbered.