SerpApi.Org
The Pittsburgh Steelers did not allow Bud Dupree to leave after the 2020 season because they had stopped valuing him. Pittsburgh simply reached a point where respect, production and mutual interest could not overcome the money waiting on the open market. Dupree now says Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert made the situation clear before his departure.
The Steelers selected Dupree 22nd overall in the 2015 NFL Draft and spent years waiting for his athletic ability to become consistent production. He gradually developed into a complete outside linebacker, but his biggest jump came near the end of his rookie contract. Dupree recorded a career-high 11.5 sacks in 2019 and gave Pittsburgh the type of speed and power it needed opposite TJ Watt.
Pittsburgh used the franchise tag to keep Dupree for the 2020 season instead of allowing him to reach free agency. The move created one more opportunity for the defense to chase a championship with Dupree, Watt and Cameron Heyward leading the pass rush. It also delayed a difficult contract decision that was always waiting beyond the season.
Dupree was strengthening his case for a major deal before tearing his ACL in December. He had 8 sacks through 11 games, while the Steelers had opened the season with an 11-0 record. The injury ended his year, removed an important piece from Pittsburgh’s defense and forced him to enter the most important free-agent period of his career while rehabilitating his knee.
During a recent episode of Not Just Football with Cam Heyward, Dupree explained how direct Pittsburgh’s decision-makers were when they discussed his future. There was no promise the organization could not keep and no attempt to hide the financial reality.
“We can’t even afford you and you on crutches right now,” Dupree recalled being told.
The wording was blunt, but the message carried respect. Pittsburgh understood Dupree had played well enough to create a strong market. His injury introduced medical uncertainty, yet it did not erase the leverage he had built through 19.5 sacks over his final 27 regular-season games with the team.
The Steelers also knew another massive negotiation was approaching. Watt was entering the final year of his rookie contract and had just led the NFL with 15 sacks in 2020. Pittsburgh eventually signed him to a four-year extension worth more than $112 million shortly before the 2021 season. Keeping one of the league’s best defenders had become the organization’s financial priority.
Dupree’s market and Watt’s future were not the only factors. Pittsburgh had selected Alex Highsmith in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Highsmith moved into the starting lineup after Dupree’s injury and gave the Steelers a younger, cheaper option at the position.
The organization’s direction was already becoming clear when Pittsburgh decided Dupree would enter free agency. The Steelers wanted him, but wanting a player and being able to build the roster around his next contract were two different questions. Dupree said the organization never pretended otherwise.
“We would love for you to stay, but we can’t do nothing past that,” Dupree recalled being told.
The conversation helps explain why his exit did not sound bitter. Tomlin and Colbert did not frame the departure as a failure or suggest Dupree was no longer good enough. They acknowledged his value and told him Pittsburgh could not follow the bidding once free agency began.
Dupree soon agreed to a five-year deal with the Tennessee Titans that carried a maximum value of $85 million and included $35 million guaranteed. The contract confirmed the Steelers’ evaluation of his market. Even while recovering from a torn ACL, Dupree had become too expensive for Pittsburgh to retain alongside the commitments already on the roster.
The move also showed why the franchise tag had been useful for both sides. Pittsburgh received another productive season from Dupree before the injury, while Dupree earned a fully guaranteed salary and reached the market after producing the best two-year stretch of his career. The ending was painful, but it was not the result of the organization mishandling his value.
Colbert had to balance the present against what was coming next. Paying Dupree would have preserved a proven pairing, but it could have complicated the Watt extension and limited flexibility elsewhere. Moving forward with Highsmith provided a path to keep the pass rush dangerous without carrying two premium edge contracts at the same time.
Steelers Gave Dupree An Honest Ending
NFL departures often create resentment because players hear one message publicly and experience another behind closed doors. Dupree’s account paints a different picture. The Steelers told him they wanted him, recognized what he had earned and admitted they could not compete with the contract available elsewhere.
The honesty did not make leaving easier. Dupree had spent six seasons in Pittsburgh, developed inside the organization and became part of one of the league’s strongest defenses. His best football had arrived just as the financial window to keep him was closing.
Pittsburgh’s choice also worked as a reminder that roster decisions are rarely judgments about one player alone. Dupree’s production supported a new deal. Watt’s emergence demanded an even larger one. Highsmith’s presence offered an affordable replacement, while the salary cap forced the Steelers to choose which investment mattered most.
Dupree’s latest explanation removes some of the mystery from his exit. Pittsburgh did not underestimate him, and Dupree did not leave because the relationship had broken down. The Steelers saw the same market he did and understood they could not match it.
Tomlin and Colbert gave him the truth before free agency delivered the final answer. Dupree was wanted in Pittsburgh, but his success had made staying financially impossible.
Want more articles like this? Follow Steeler Nation on MSN to see more of our exclusive NFL content.
More must-reads:
- Alleged photo of Puka Nacua’s bite mark on woman suing him emerges
- ESPN analyst learned he was being laid off while live on TV
- Justin Jefferson sends message to Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy about QB competition
- Adam Schefter shares Aaron Donald return update that may concern Rams fans
- NFL analyst points to huge problem for John Harbaugh, Giants
