The Pittsburgh Steelers signed S van Thornhill in March to replace S Damontae Kazee and fill in the crucial third safety role behind Minkah Fitzpatrick and Deshon Elliott. Thornhill signed the team on a one-year contract worth $3 million, representing the veteran defensive back proof and trading scenario.
Looking back at Thornhill’s career so far, his signature makes him undoubtedly the team’s biggest free agent wildcard heading into the 2025 season. Thornhill comes to Pittsburgh after two years of stint with the Cleveland Browns and then at best they’re not shiny. He played and started 11 games in both 2023 and 2024. This missed the time due to a calf injury, which was a problem that dates back to his final season with the Kansas City chief in 2022.
Thornhill signed a three-year contract with Cleveland worth $21 million ahead of the 2023 season, but only saw two years of contact as his play didn’t guarantee the money he signed. Thornhill did not intercept in two seasons with 104 tackles (72 solos), one lossy tackle, four passes deflections and two seasons with the Browns. That included one play with the New Orleans saint, where he stood up remarkably in the pursuit of a ball career and allowed a touchdown.
But looking at Thornhill’s tenure in Kansas City, we see more safety than he deserves the contract he received from Cleveland. Thornhill began 52 of 65 games in time with the regular season Chiefs, recording 234 tackles (161 solos), five tackles, bags, forced fumbles, fumble recovery, 20 passes deflections and eight intercepts (one returned for a touchdown).
He won two Super Bowls in Kansas City, providing an athletic defender on the back end of the defensive, and struck an impressive pursuit of the range that affects the pass as safety of football and center field.
Head coach Mike Tomlin praised Thornhill after signing him, saying that three quality safety on the field is in need of someone who can better match multiple tight end sets and accommodate a variety of scheme/position applications. Thornhill played 3,079 snaps in free safety, 802 in boxes, and 3,079 snaps in 639 slots to 4,657 NFL snaps in total. He moved further between in Kansas City, but Cleveland mostly kept him in a natural, safe spot.
Tomlin also mentioned Thornhill’s signature as a reason the Steelers didn’t choose safety in the 2025 NFL Draft, and said they were happy with what they brought to the table as the third safety behind Fitzpatrick and Elliott. Pittsburgh signed Iowa Safety Sebastian Castro as UDFA at the end of the draft. He also brings some versatility to the table, but Thornhill is clearly a favorite to see the most time behind the starters, and the third safety thing Pittsburgh has rolled out in the subpackages.
It is the story of two stories by Juan Thornhill. On the one hand, he appeared to be a talented young safety during his time with the Chiefs, winning a considerable deal with his play at a free agency. Meanwhile, injuries and suspects with the Browns led to early firing of his contract, allowing Pittsburgh to sign him cheaply this offseason.
Thornhill has a lot to prove this season with the Steelers. Because his last two years in Cleveland have been a vampire and are more hampered by injuries. He appears to be returning to being a productive player when he was in Kansas City. He’ll become the name to watch throughout training camp, and the preseason can either significantly improve Pittsburgh’s secondary or keep it relatively similar to what it was before the season.
