Patrick Peterson has reaffirmed his desire to return to Pittsburgh for the 2024 season. The eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback wants to re-sign with the Steelers after the team released him in March in order to shed cap space before the start of free agency.
Peterson, who will turn 34 in July, signed a two-year, $14 million deal with the Steelers last offseason. He had two picks and 11 pass breakups in 2023 while playing both safety and cornerback. Along with wanting to play for Mike Tomlin, Peterson said his family is another reason why he wants to return to Pittsburgh.
"We've still got time left on the table," Peterson recently said on "The Jim Rome Show." "Hopefully I can get something done with the Steelers. That's the team that I definitely want to play for because I have so much respect for Coach Tomlin."
Peterson would likely have to accept a backup role in Pittsburgh, though, with Joey Porter Jr. and veteran Donte Jackson currently manning the starting spots. While his career will likely end up immortalized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, last season showed that Peterson is not the elite cornerback he once was. That was made clear early in the season, when 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk burned him repeatedly during San Francisco's Week 1 blowout win over the Steelers.
Peterson may no longer be in his prime, but he's still a solid, savvy defender who especially showed his worth when he filled in at deep safety late in the year when Minkah Fitzpatrick was sidelined with injuries. Peterson played well at his new position and played an integral role in the Steelers winning their last three games to make the playoffs.
"I feel like I'm a safety at heart because I'm a big talker," Peterson said late in the season, via the Steelers website. "I'm a communicator, so being at corner, it's kind of hard to communicate with guys. Being at the safety position, being a key component of the communication to everyone, that felt very natural to me."
Despite those quotes, Peterson said earlier this offseason that he doesn't want to be a starting safety, even if that would possibly prolong his career a couple of more years. It appears, though, that Peterson may reconsider if that means a second stint with the Steelers, who would likely welcome him back for the right price and if Peterson is willing to be a backup at both cornerback and safety.
