A former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver has decided to hang up his cleats.
On Wednesday, Adam Thielen, who played the final games of his career with the Steelers, revealed he was retiring from the NFL after 13 seasons.
Thielen made his announcement on Instagram:
"What a ride it has been! 13 years what a blessing!" He said. "Have been blessed with so many great relationships and mentors over the years that I am forever grateful for! Thank you to everyone who has supported me through the years it has meant everything to my family and I!"
This decision comes as no surprise, as Thielen said he planned on retiring during the season. That is what led to the Minnesota Vikings cutting him loose, which allowed Thielen to finish the season in Pittsburgh and get a chance to be in the playoffs.
Over five regular-season games with the Steelers, Thielen posted 11 catches for 117 yards. He added two catches for 25 yards in the playoff loss to the Houston Texans.
Thielen, who exceeded expectations by a wide margin as an undrafted free agent, made a name for himself in the NFL with the Vikings, where he spent nine-plus seasons.
In that time, he accumulated a pair of Pro Bowl nods and one second-team All-Pro selection.
At one point, Thielen was in the conversation as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL after putting up 1,276 yards in 2017 and 1,373 yards in 2018, which were the seasons he earned Pro Bowl selections.
He went on to post one more 1,000-yard season with the Carolina Panthers in 2023. He spent two seasons in Carolina overall before being traded back to Minnesota in 2025.
There is no doubt that Thielen will go down as one of the greats in Vikings history and we wish him well in his post-playing life.
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