It's not often that a player leaves the Pittsburgh Steelers organization only to return years later. That almost happened in 2023, when their former first-round pick made a free agent visit back to Pittsburgh. His return made a ton of sense at the time, but for one reason or another, he didn't re-sign with his original employer. No one truly knew why he left, but for both parties, it all worked out.
During an appearance on Cam Heyward's podcast, Not Just Football with Cam Heyward, Dupree spoke about many topics. He walked through his lead-up to being drafted by the Steelers, his time with the team, about Mike Tomlin, his NFL career, and many other topics. The veteran linebacker also spoke about the time when he left Pittsburgh and how he almost reunited with the club.
Heyward conjectured, "Every time you're a free agent I try to see if I can get you back to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and then you end up signing with a different team."
Everything spoken about was done in good fun, and no negative vibes. General manager Omar Khan did seem to be a massive reason why Bud Dupree didn't sign with the Steelers during his 2023 free agency tour. Money just didn't make sense for either side, and the team had an outside linebacker group full of talent, which didn't need Dupree to return.
Ex-Pittsburgh Steelers LB Bud Dupree claims Omar Khan ruined his Steel City return
One of the best traits of Omar Khan is his way of making money work throughout his lineup. He has found value in the past. Bringing Dupree back to the Steelers would've been a nice story, but it only worked in Khan's mind if the money made sense. Dupree was coming off some down performances, and his status around the league was dwindling.
Pittsburgh only wanted him on a cheap short-term deal.
"I tried before I came to the Chargers last time. I tried, but damn, Omar man," Dupree stated. "So when it's time, I remember the last contract negotiation we had with each other personally. I'm gonna have to get it back for someone else."
Apparently, Khan is a tough negotiator to work with in this case. He wasn't willing to budge on his number to allow Dupree to return to the organization. At the time, T.J. Watt was at his height of stardom, Alex Highsmith was a proven commodity, but the team still needed a role player at the position. Dupree could've been perfect for that spot, but he ended up elsewhere.
History has a funny way of working itself out, and that clearly happened for the team.
Since Dupree didn't return, the Steelers eventually drafted Nick Herbig a couple of weeks later. It allowed them to get a cheaper rookie who became a fantastic player in that role Dupree otherwise would've commanded. Now Herbig is one of the best up-and-coming edge rushers in the NFL.
It's clear that Omar Khan is the main reason why Bud Dupree hasn't returned to Pittsburgh yet. You could tell on the podcast that he holds his time with the Steelers in high regard, so don't rule out a return at some point in his career. It would take a special circumstance for that to happen, but his failure to return in 2023 actually worked out better for the player and the franchise in this instance.
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