Aaron Rodgers Recruited New WR to Steelers

Valdes-Scantling's Path to Pittsburgh

The Steelers were known to have interest in adding Valdes-Scantling to their practice squad after he was let go by the Seattle Seahawks at final roster cuts in late August.

He ultimately decided to join the San Francisco 49ers, who were dealing with a ton of injuries at receiver entering the regular season, but he stated that his decision came down to them and Pittsburgh.

"It was between here and the 49ers," Valdes-Scantling said. "I ended up choosing the 49ers because it was the same system that I was running with [offensive coordinator] Klint [Kubiak] in Seattle, so it was kind of an easier transition to get onto the field right away."

Valdes-Scantling appeared in five games for the 49ers, during which he logged 40 yards on four catches, before being placed on the reserve/injured list with a calf injury on October 17 and ultimately being released a day later.

The 31-year-old worked out for the Steelers immediately following their Week 8 loss to the Packers, and he went into further detail on how Rodgers helped him decide that Pittsburgh was the place for him to be.

"It was kind of a joint effort," Valdes-Scantling said. "We called and we talked about it a couple times. He said that he'd love to have me here and made his pitch. It was down to the wire, to be honest. I was already on the West Coast, so it was kind of easier to stay over there. Went back home for a week, get reset, said, 'Hey man, I want to keep playing this thing,' gave Aaron a call and said, 'Let's do it.'"

How Valdes-Scantling Can Help the Steelers

Valdes-Scantling's chemistry with Rodgers is a huge factor working in his favor as it relates to getting on the field as soon as possible for the Steelers.

A fifth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by Green bay, Valdes-Scantling became a top target for Rodgers as a deep threat with unreal speed during the latter's final years with the franchise.

The two played alongside one another through the end of Valdes-Scantling's rookie contract in 2021. Over 59 games with Rodgers in Green Bay, which included 39 starts, he caught 123 passes for 2,153 yards and 13 touchdowns.

After winning back-to-back Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022 and 2023 while also posting 385 yards and four touchdowns on 17 catches across just eight contests for the New Orleans Saints last season, Valdes-Scantling is an experienced receiver who may already be one of the top options at the position in the Steelers' building.

Though he's primarily lined up on the outside at 6-foot-4, Valdes-Scantling has logged 1,345 snaps from the slot throughout his eight-year career, per Pro Football Focus, and thus has some flexibility, which could also help him earn playing time in the near future.