Pittsburgh, PA – July 3, 2025
He didn’t leave because of stats. He didn’t walk away because of ego. He left because the place he gave his heart to… no longer gave it back.
That’s the emotional reality behind Pittsburgh’s latest acquisition — a tight end coming off a career-best Pro Bowl season, traded to the Steelers in a blockbuster deal that also landed Jalen Ramsey, while the Dolphins received Minkah Fitzpatrick. The move stunned fans across the league, but behind the headlines was a deeper wound — and a quiet sense of liberation.
On The Terron Armstead Podcast, the veteran tight end didn’t hold back.
“I’m in a situation where I’m appreciated,” he said. “You’re always going to go where you’re most valued and appreciated.”
It wasn’t supposed to end this way. After 88 catches, 884 yards, and 8 touchdowns in 2024 — all career highs — he and his agent approached Miami with confidence. They believed an extension was a “no-brainer.” They believed he was part of the core. But the answer was silence, and then… rejection.
“Eventually it came a point and time when they told me they can’t do it,” he said quietly.
“It stung.”
And just like that, what was once home became a one-way door. But Pittsburgh opened another — and this one felt different.
“I had to make the decision to go where I’m appreciated and viewed on paper, economically, contract-wise, as a top guy in this league — which I know I am,” he added.
“Pittsburgh was the team that saw me as that.”
The Steelers didn’t just trade for him. They gave him a 1-year, $12 million extension through 2027 and a familiar voice in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who coached him in both Tennessee and Atlanta. It’s not just a new city — it’s a full-circle return to the system that first unlocked his potential.
Now, he joins a revamped pass-catching unit with DK Metcalf, Robert Woods, Roman Wilson, Pat Freiermuth, and rising fan-favorite Calvin Austin III. The AFC North just got a lot more interesting.
For a team known for its tradition, toughness, and loyalty — this signing says more than numbers. It says Pittsburgh still knows how to see the soul behind the stat sheet.
Stay tuned to ESPN for updates.
