Steelers Rookie Reveals ‘Big Reason’ for Hire As Mike Tomlin To Hire New WR for Aaron Rodgers

Mike Tomlin has always had a knack for turning Swiss Army knives into centerpieces. Think of James Harrison moonlighting as a fullback or Troy Polamalu defying positional labels. This offseason, the Steelers’ head coach is at it again—but with a twist that’s as unpredictable as a knuckleball in the bottom of the ninth.

Picture a rookie minicamp where undrafted hopefuls grind under the Pittsburgh sun. Among them? A 23-year-old from Pennsylvania who’s played more positions than Brett Favre had retirements. He didn’t know it yet, but his chaos-filled weekend would catch the eye of a coach who thrives on versatility.

Enter Max Hurleman, a former Colgate running back turned Notre Dame cornerback—and now the Steelers’ newest hybrid project. Signed after a whirlwind tryout, Hurleman’s journey reads like a choose-your-own-adventure book. “I showed up on the first day, and Coach Tomlin comes up to me and he said, ‘We’re gonna start you out at running back. Is that alright with you?’” Hurleman revealed on the Ross Tucker Podcast. Spoiler: It wasn’t just running back.

Over three days, Hurleman juggled RB reps, receiver routes, and even defensive back drills. At one point, Tomlin tossed him two jerseys, demanding he backpedal at corner. “So as the weekend progresses with this minicamp stuff, it’s the summer’s coming around, it’s getting hot, so guys kind of go down here and there. I ended up playing mostly running back at the rookie minicamp, but I took snaps at receiver as well. And I even ended up doing a little defensive back indie [drill], doing some backpedal stuff,” Hurleman laughed. His stats?

“I showed up on the first day, and Coach Tomlin comes up to me and he said, ‘we’re going to start you out at running back. Is that alright with you’?”@maxhurleman on how he found out what position he was trying out at for Steelers: pic.twitter.com/1qwYjpgCkv

— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) May 22, 2025

A modest 814 rushing yards at Colgate, 28 catches as a receiver, and 13 tackles at Notre Dame. But Tomlin wasn’t eyeing box scores. He wanted grit—and Hurleman delivered. The Steelers’ secret sauce? Special teams. With the NFL’s revamped kickoff rules, returners like Hurleman—who averaged 7.2 yards per punt return—are golden. “I obviously crushed a lot of the special team stuff, which is a big reason why I’m there,” he admitted.

But Hurleman’s not the only storyline brewing. While Pittsburgh molds its multi-tool rookie, whispers about a blockbuster WR trade swirled—then fizzled.

Mike Tomlin’s masterstroke: Versatility over convention

Before Hurleman’s rise, the Steelers dialed New Orleans about star receiver Chris Olave. “The Saints got inquiries from the Browns and Steelers early in the offseason and rebuffed them,” reported Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Olave’s fifth-year option was picked up, slamming the door on Pittsburgh’s hopes—for now.

Why the interest? With George Pickens gone and Aaron Rodgers rumors lingering, Tomlin knows a WR2 is crucial. But Olave’s $15.5 million price tag and injury history (400 yards in 2024) made the Saints hesitant. Instead, Pittsburgh pivoted to low-risk, high-reward projects like Hurleman. Tomlin’s philosophy?

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 27: Chris Olave #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes warms up prior to the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on November 27, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

Adapt or evaporate. Whether it’s Hurleman’s positional hopscotch or chasing big-name receivers, the Steelers’ boss bets on flexibility. As training camp looms, Hurleman faces stacked RB competition (Cordarrelle Patterson, Jaylen Warren, and Trey Sermon). Yet his special teams edge could be his lifeline—a lesson learned from Steelers legends like Antwaan Randle El.

In the end, Pittsburgh’s offseason boils down to a line from The Godfather: “It’s not personal, it’s strictly business.” But for Hurleman, it’s deeply personal. Every snap is a chance to prove that ‘jack of all trades’ isn’t an insult—it’s a survival tactic.

So, who’s your pick to click: The rookie hybrid or the veteran returner?

 

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