In Pittsburgh, Thornhill will join a veteran Steelers defense that is led by former NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt and perennial Pro Bowlers Cameron Heyward and fellow safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Pittsburgh also recently signed former Eagles Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay .

Hardman's advantage will be his special teams versatility, which has primarily been his role after a career lows in targets, receptions, and yards this past season. His standout year came in 2019, when he earned a 2nd Team All-Pro as a kicker returner, an area the Packers were middle-of-the-pack in 2024, ranking 14th according to NFL.com.