Steelers Veteran Patrick Peterson Says Ryan Tannehill's Handling Of Rookie QB2 Rubbed Him "The Wrong Way"

The Pittsburgh Steelers finally had some cap space entering the offseason, something fans aren’t accustomed to. In Omar Khan’s first full offseason as the general manager, fans expected him to be aggressive. That was just the case, as Khan signed several key free agents. One of them, veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson, came a bit out of nowhere. There wasn’t any rumored interest or visit between the two sides, and the deal came together quickly.

Peterson was ecstatic when his agent mentioned Pittsburgh as a possible destination, as the team has been led by Head Coach Mike Tomlin for 16 years now. Beyond that, it’s a storied franchise. Peterson still has plenty of juice left in the tank, and the Steelers paid him accordingly to a two-year, $14 million deal. Recently, the eight-time Pro Bowler even said that he may play a few extra years because of Tomlin and the environment in Pittsburgh. Beyond the play that he would bring on the field, Peterson brought more value than that. 

His leadership would be perfect for a secondary that eventually would bring in two rookies in Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr. On the most recent episode of his podcast All Things Covered with Bryant McFadden, Peterson got a bit sidetracked and discussed the Ryan Tannehill debacle from last offseason. If you don’t remember, the Tennessee Titans quarterback was unwilling to help out their rookie quarterback, Malik Willis, who was picked in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

“I don’t know what it was, not mentor, not give info, to the younger QB [Willis]. Man, like we’ve got so much information that these guys haven’t seen. Why would we wanna keep that from them? Why would we wanna hinder their career on maybe something that we can give them? Not to backtrack, that kind of rubbed me the wrong way."

Essentially, Tannehill was unwilling to help out Willis because the two would be competing for the starting job. A year later now, and Willis’ career trajectory already looks bleak. Not only does Tannehill remain on the roster, but the Titans selected another quarterback in Will Levis in the second round of this year’s draft. The team has seemingly lost all trust in Willis after just one season, as he was uninspiring in his three starts in 2022. 

Where would Steelers be if they would've drafted Willis in 2022?

One can’t help but wonder if he would be doing better if he were in a better situation. If Tannehill had helped him out a bit more, maybe he’d be further along in his development. Willis was a quarterback heavily connected to the Steelers in the pre-draft process. In fact, many thought that Pittsburgh would select him with their 20th overall pick, not Kenny Pickett. Thank God they didn't.

Peterson noted that he does everything he can to mentor the young guys, specifically Porter and Trice. He even helps lead the guys on the offensive side of the ball, like wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Peterson and McFadden were talking about Johnson when the cornerback got sidetracked on the Tannehill discussion. Peterson gave rave reviews about the wideout that’s entering his fifth NFL season. 

While Johnson gets his fair share of criticism from fans, the veteran cornerback talked about how Johnson wants to be great. He complimented his exceptional work ethic and willingness to become remembered. It's already clear the impact that Peterson is having on Pittsburgh and the locker room. Heading into 2023, expectations are finally high in Pittsburgh again.

What kind of impact do you think the veteran will have on the rookie cornerbacks? What are your expectations on Trice and Porter in their first seasons? What are your thoughts on these comments from Peterson in regards to the Tannehill/Willis situation last year? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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