Over the past few seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled to solidify their starting cornerback spots. Joey Porter Jr. has one side locked down, but the Steelers haven’t been able to find a consistent partner for him. This year, they’re trying to fill that void with veteran Darius Slay. It’s similar to when the Steelers signed Patrick Peterson in 2023. That was Peterson’s only season in Pittsburgh, but he had a fulfilling career before that. While Peterson hasn’t officially retired yet, it sounds like he’s done playing in the NFL.
“Probably not,” Peterson said recently on the NFL Players Second Acts podcast when asked if he would play in 2025 if a team called him. “Because I always said that if I don’t have the desire to work out, like I don’t mind working out, but I don’t have the desire to work out.
“You guys are retired, and you guys know how it is. If you don’t have the desire and you always want to put your best foot forward, there’s no need to put yourself out there.”
While that doesn’t totally rule out Peterson from coming back, it seems very unlikely. He didn’t play at all in 2024, and it can be tough for players to sit out for an entire year and then come back to the NFL. A 13-year veteran, Peterson might find it even harder to return.
He didn’t really look like the same player in Pittsburgh, either. Throughout much of his career, Peterson was one of the best corners in the league. He made eight-straight Pro Bowls to start his career. Peterson was also named first-team All-Pro three times. His legacy is not in question. The only thing he really had left to do was win a Super Bowl.
Peterson will likely find himself enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day. While adding a championship to his resumé would be nice, it might not be worth putting the strain on his body. There’s no guarantee he’d join a contender.
Although Peterson hasn’t officially called it quits, it feels like it would take a lot for him to suit up again. If that’s the case, then here’s to an awesome career. As an individual, Peterson doesn’t have anything left to prove. In retirement, he can focus on his life after football. Perhaps he will find that drive and desire to play in the NFL again. If that happens, hopefully he can compete for a Super Bowl.
