(Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
Zach Banner announced via Twitter on Tuesday that he re-signed with the Steelers. According to Aditi Kinkhawala of the NFL Network, Banner's deal is two years worth $9.5 million, including a $3.25 million signing bonus.
It was an expected move, as the Steelers liked what they saw from Banner in training camp last year so much that he started in Week 1 against the Giants. Unfortunately, that was the only game Banner played in 2020. Banner suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the fourth quarter against the Giants.
Banner was on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday and said Mike Tomlin wants him at right tackle in 2021, but he says he’ll do whatever the team asks of him. Banner also added that he signed a multi-year deal because he wanted to help the team out.
Banner also revealed that other teams made offers to him and he wasn't sure whether he would be in the black and gold anymore last week.
“I'm not gonna lie, last week, especially before I came back it was just, I was walking down Redondo Beach ... it was just one of those things man when I was walking I was thinking, damn, I might have to put on another uniform,” Banner said.
Banner said teams all over the map were interested in him, even teams in the AFC North.
"I'll leave it at this, there was a couple of NFC teams and then there was a couple of teams including some in the AFC North. So, we'll leave that alone," he said.
The Steelers have lost four players in free agency so far in Bud Dupree (Titans), Matt Feiler (Chargers), Tyson Alualu (Jaguars) and Mike Hilton (Bengals). They also cut veteran Vince Williams as a cap casualty to save $4 million in salary-cap space. Banner says people should not hold it against the players that left Pittsburgh and earned a big paycheck.
“We have to make the best decisions that's best for us, that’s why we can’t be mad at the guys we lost,” Banner said. “I mean those guys make life-changing money, I’m not there yet, I mean this is great I’m really grateful, it’s a lot of money, but it’s not where I want to stop.”
Banner says both Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger told him they wanted him back.
"Coach T called me a couple weeks ago before I went to L.A. ... It was just one of those situations where Coach T told me to hold tight we’re going to get everything done, Ben had reached out and told me we’re going to get everything done and we did, so it was easy.”