Veteran wide receiver Tyler Boyd is leaving the door wide open for a potential homecoming—and this time, it might be in black and gold.
A free agent for the first time in his eight-year NFL career, Boyd is embracing the possibility of suiting up for the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team he once watched from the other side of the AFC North rivalry. The 29-year-old spent his entire career with the Cincinnati Bengals, but the idea of switching allegiances doesn’t faze him. In fact, it sounds like it would bring his football journey full circle.
Speaking at a youth football camp in his hometown of Clairton, Pennsylvania, Boyd told Pittsburgh Sports Now that not only does he believe he still has “a few more years” left in him, but he’d “absolutely” welcome the chance to play for the Steelers.
“You know, all my family is here,” Boyd said. “I’d be able to have the majority—all of my family—be able to support me.”
Boyd’s connection to Pittsburgh runs deep. Before he was a second-round draft pick in 2016, he was a standout at Pitt, sharing the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex with the Steelers during his college days. The familiarity with the organization, particularly with head coach Mike Tomlin, makes the potential pairing feel even more natural.
“I’m real cool with Tomlin. He’s always been a good person,” Boyd recalled. “When I was at Pitt, we had a good relationship. After practice, I’d walk over there and talk to AB (Antonio Brown) and those guys, talk to Tomlin, just pick at different things where I could get better and get a feel of some guidance.”
Now entering the latter phase of his career, Boyd remains confident in his abilities. His experience, reliability in the slot, and knowledge of AFC North defenses could provide an appealing boost to a Steelers receiving corps still seeking consistency behind George Pickens.
Boyd isn’t forcing the issue, though. “If it happens, it happens,” he said. “If not, it is what it is.”
Still, with his roots in the Pittsburgh area, a history with the franchise, and plenty of gas left in the tank, the idea of Tyler Boyd wearing the black and gold doesn’t just feel possible—it feels like the kind of story the NFL loves to write.
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