San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk reportedly took less money than the Pittsburgh Steelers offered him.
The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted 49ers All-Pro fullback Kyle Juszczyk last week, but he left without a deal and shortly after, re-signed with San Francisco . It turns out it wasn't due to money, though.
According to ESPN's Nick Wagoner, the Steelers made a better offer than the 49ers, but Juszczyk chose to return to his former team anyway.
"Nine-time Pro Bowl fullback Kyle Juszczyk is returning to the San Francisco 49ers on a two-year, $8 million deal," Wagoner wrote . "A source said Juszczyk took less than what the Pittsburgh Steelers were offering to return to San Francisco."
It remains to be seen why Juszczyk gave up more money to re-sign with the 49ers. It could be his familiarity with the team or that he thinks San Francisco simply has a better chance to compete for a Super Bowl in 2025.
However, many have speculated it could have been due to Pittsburgh's facilities. Former Steelers running back Najee Harris recently ripped the team's facilities during his introductory press conference with the Los Angeles Chargers .
For the second year in a row, the Steelers did not receive favorable reviews in the NFLPA's annual facilities report card . They once again were ranked No. 28 out of 32 teams.
The Steelers did make some improvements, most notably by adding a gameday daycare for players. That raised their family support grade from an F- to a C-. But overall, Pittsburgh is still lacking in several key departments.
The Steelers' weight room was rated 28th, strength coaches 32nd, training room 25th, training staff 18th, locker room 27th and nutritionist 30th.
Only Juszczyk knows if that is the reason, but either way, the Steelers missed out on a very talented player.
Juszczyk has been the gold standard at the fullback position over the last decade. He has made nine consecutive Pro Bowls as a fullback and is coming off a second-team All-Pro selection in 2024.
He caught 19 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns and rushed five times for 26 yards and a touchdown. Juszcyzk turns 34 in April, but there have been no signs of decline. It just came down to money in San Francisco and he ended up being a cap casualty.
The Steelers did place a second-round tender on Jaylen Warren and signed Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell to a free agent contract. It's also likely that the Steelers will draft a running back. Cordarrelle Patterson remains on the roster, as well.
That gives the Steelers a lot of versatility in their backfield, but adding Juszczyk into the mix would have been a nice added piece.
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