Tag Archives: George Pickens

What Went Wrong During the Second Half of the Mike Tomlin Era?

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Editors Note: Why did the Steelers’ championship window close after the 2016 AFC Championship Game? Here we provide a 360 view of the franchise during the latter half of Mike Tomlin’s tenure. For an end-to-end analysis of Tomlin’s entire career click here.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers team charter went wheels up at Logan International Airport on January 22nd, 2017, everyone onboard knew they’d passed a milestone.

  • But no one, however, knew what that milestone marked.

Getting pulverized by the Patriots in another AFC Championship game stung, for sure. But Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison and Greg Warren offered 3 reasons for hope: They were the only Super Bowl XLIII veterans on the plane.

Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin stood on the precipice of a near impossible feat: Executing an end-to-end rebuild around a franchise quarterback.

Ah, but every conference championship loss comes with a rub: Either they signal that you’re about to open heaven’s door, or, that you’re never getting in.

The Steelers never re-opened heaven’s door in the latter half of the Tomlin Era. They didn’t even come close.

Today we look at what went wrong and why championship window closed.

Chris Hogan's touchdown, as Robert Golden "watched" and Sammie Coates dropped pass were critical moments in the Pittsburgh Steelers January 2017 AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots.

Chris Hogan catches a TD and Sammie Coates drops a pass in Steelers loss to the Patriots in the 2016 AFC Championship. Photo credits: Matt Slocum, AP; Patrick Smith II, AP

1. Ringing the Bell 1 Too Many Times – Franchising Le’Veon Bell a 2nd Time

The first critical football decision after the AFC Championship loss to the Patriots was to put the franchise tag on Le’Veon Bell.

It was the right move — Bell had just broken records that Hall of Famers John Henry Johnson, Franco Harris or Jerome Bettis never touched.

  • Bell played 2017 on the franchise tag and piled up nearly 2000 all-purpose yards.

In the spring of 2018, Art Rooney II, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin ignored Bell’s warning that he wouldn’t play on a second franchise tender and franchised him again.

I was wrong. The decision was a disaster for everyone. Really, this decision had a ripple effect that gave the Steelers post-2016 decline momentum.

Le'Veon Bell, Le'Veon Bell free agent,

Le’Veon Bell departing the gridiron at Heinz Field. Photo Credit: EPA, via the New York Post

Franchising Bell locked up 14.5 million dollars in salary cap space, preventing Pittsburgh from addressing other priorities. Bargain hunting in the inside linebacker market brought them Jon Bostic who was strong against the run, but struggled vs the pass.

And, because they were counting on Bell, they failed to add an experienced running back during the 2018 off-season.

Which leads us to….

2. Failing to Staff Adequate Running Back Depth

Failure to staff sufficient running back depth started several seasons earlier, but it hurt them, again, in the AFC Championship. When Bell got injured, DeAngelo Williams entered.

Williams had done an exceptional job in 2015 in Bell’s absence, so bringing him back was a wise move, despite his age. But Williams had needed knee surgery during the season, and against the Patriots he averaged 2.4 yards a carry – and that’s with a long run of 15 yards.

Mewelde Moore, David Jones, Steelers vs Bengals 2008

Mewelde Moore, the unsung hero of the Steelers 2008 season. Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images via Zimbo.com

It’s easy to say, “So what? Any team that loses its top two running backs, is screwed no matter what.” But the 2008 Steelers had lost their top two running backs and still won the Super Bowl thanks to Mewelde Moore.

  • But too many Steelers teams in this era lacked a Gary Russell caliber back, let alone a Mewelde Moore or even a Jonathan Dwyer.

Think back to the December 2018 loss to the Saints. We all remember JuJu Smith-Schuster’s fumble and the questionable PI calls.

But everyone forgets Stevan Ridley’s fumble. On third down. When the Steelers were leading. And in position for Chris Boswell to put them up by 7. In a game they lost at the buzzer by 3…..

Once again, Pittsburgh stung itself with poor backfield depth, only this time it kept them out of the playoffs just when the entire team was gelling and the championship window was still cracked open. (Rolling your eyes? Go back to the win against the Patriots the week before.)

Drafting Benny Snell signaled Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert had learned.

Had they learned sooner, some things might have been different.

3. Injuries, Suspensions, Drama and Divas

The Steelers beat the Bengals in 2015 Wild Card in no small part due to the efforts of Ryan Shazier and Martavis Bryant. Their performances signaled that two additional two championship-caliber defensive and offensive weapons had arrived in Pittsburgh.

Alas, Bryant’s off the field problems and discipline issues combined with Shazier’s tragic injury scuttled that promise.

Ryan Shazier, Ryan Shazier injury, Ryan Shazier contract, Ryan Shazier 5th year tender, Ryan Shazier contract

Ryan Shazier. Photo Credit: Aaron Doster, USA TODAY via BTSC

Neither Art Rooney II, nor Kevin Colbert nor Mike Tomlin can be faulted here.

  • The trio does deserve fault for how they reacted to those twin misfortunes.

At inside linebacker the Steelers tried low and high-priced free agents, draft picks, multiple trades and trading up and drafting and perhaps still hasn’t secured a certain long-term starter there.

To their credit, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin recognized the red flags in their wide receiver room and aggressively addressed the position through the draft.

If their strategy was sound then their execution leads us to another problem….

4. Whiffing on Drafts

The Steelers used a succession of 2nd round draft picks in response to Bryant’s antics, Sammie Coates’ erratic behavior and Antonio Brown becoming unglued in plain sight.

They picked a good player in JuJu Smith Schuster, and a solid character yet underachiever in James Washington. Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and George Pickens all flashed at times, yet all three had to be traded away due to discipline issues.

Four years have passed since JuJu played his last down in Pittsburgh and the Steelers still haven’t drafted a long-term starter at wide receiver.

  • Worse yet, wide receiver is hardly the only position the Steelers have whiffed on in the draft.

Take a look at the Steelers 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 drafts and you’ll find that the Steelers have drafted precisely two long-term starters, one for each side of the ball: Alex Highsmith and Pat Freiermuth. (For comparison’s sake, the Steelers 2011 and 2012 draft classes netted 3 long-term starters.)

Kenny Pickett, George Pickens, Steelers vs Raiders, Immaculate Reception 50th anniversary

Kenny Pickett and George Pickens after the Go Ahead Touchdown in the Immaculate Reception Game. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review.

Some of these drafts were better than others. In some cases, the Steelers found players who were started or played as key backups throughout their rookie contracts. That’s a “win” from a Money Ball perspective.

But collectively they formed a group of players who played well enough to win more than they lost in the regular season but got immediately outclassed in the playoffs.

Of course the biggest draft mistake the Steelers made was in the players they passed on…

5. Being Unprepared When Big Ben Struck Midnight

Art Rooney II began the 2026 season by reaffirming the franchise’s goal is to win instead of “wasting a year not trying to compete.”

  • This is the exact message everyone must hear from the head of the franchise.

Art Rooney II had 3 chances to embrace a “clean reset” and opted to field the best team possible instead. Rooney made the right move.

Ben Roethlisberger and Art Rooney II embrace after Big Ben's final game at Heinz Field in January 2022.

Ben Roethlisberger, Art Rooney II and One last dance @ Heinz Field. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Nor does the tandem of Colbert and Tomlin deserve undue criticism for missing on Kenny Pickett – After all, Chuck Noll and Art Rooney, Jr. went Terry Bradshaw and Mark Malone with their two first round quarterbacks.

Yet, the franchise still missed on chances to take swings at Roethlisberger’s replacement prior to Big Ben striking midnight. Circumstantial evidence suggests (see Jim Wexell’s reporting) that Mike Tomlin wanted to take Lamar Jackson in 2018.

But if that was his plan, he gambled by drafting Terrell Edmunds first, expecting Jackson would be there later. He wasn’t. The Steelers also had a shot at taking Jalen Hurts in the 2020 draft. They chose Chase Claypool instead.

Pulling off a Joe Montana–Steve Young or Brett Favre–Aaron Rodgers handoff is only slightly less rare than seeing Haley’s Comet.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try, as the Steelers are still finding out.

6. Tomlin’s Struggles with Hiring Solid Assistant Coaches

Here’s a classic case of “both things can be true.”

  1. Mike Tomlin’s record with assistant coach hires is more mixed than people credit him for.
  2. Identifying, recruiting and developing rising coaching talent was his greatest weakness.

Click here for a deeper discussion Mike Tomlin’s struggles with hiring assistant coaches.

The only additional observation to add here is this: This was a Tomlin weakness from the beginning, and not one he ever addressed — he had a better staff on the sidelines for the AFC Championship loss than he did for his final loss to the Texans.

7. Missing Dan Rooney?

Dan Rooney died shortly after the AFC Championship loss to the Patriots and the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since….

Dan Rooney, Dan Rooney legacy, Dan Rooney Lombardi Trophies, Dan Rooney obituary

Dan Rooney sitting in front of the Steelers 5 Lombardi Trophies. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

…If the conclusion seems obvious, it shouldn’t be. Correlation does not equal causality. Had social media existed in the 80’s, you could have easily found fans complaining “Dan Rooney is lost now that ‘The Chief’ is only a figurehead.”

  • And they would have been wrong.

Still, looking back, it doesn’t take too great of a stretch of the imagination to envision Dan Rooney’s wisdom guiding the franchise to better outcomes.

  • It is an unanswerable question, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong to ask.

Because the Steelers entered the second half of the Mike Tomlin era with every reason to believe another Super Bowl run was coming. Instead, their championship window quietly closed.

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5 Steelers Draft Lessons Omar Khan Must Apply in the 2026 NFL Draft

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The 2026 NFL Draft is days away, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting on a mother lode of draft picks. Thanks to trades, compensatory picks and hoarding his own, Omar Khan has 12 choices at his disposal in the upcoming draft.

  • Those picks open many possibilities for Pittsburgh.

But to be successful, the Steelers brain trust must make wise decisions. With that in mind, let’s take a look at lessons Steelers draft history teaches us.

This is the latest article in our Steelers 2026 Draft coverage.

Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan, Photo Credit: Nola.com

1. Challenge Conventional Wisdom on Compensatory Picks

Omar Khan is already learning this lesson in real time. Last spring Khan’s focus in free agency was to stockpile compensatory picks so he could trade up in what was supposed to be a QB-rich draft.

“Stockpile compensatory picks Khan has, but QB poor has this draft turned out to be,” in Yoda speak.

  • Other drafts teach a similar lesson.

The Steelers went into the 1998 draft with 14 picks. Tom Donahoe made no bones about trading some of those, boasting, “There’s no way 14 rookies can make our team.”

Donahoe was right. It’s near-impossible to imagine 14 rookies making any non-expansion NFL roster. Yet, Donahoe’s claim was laced with a touch of latent arrogance.

Stub from April 1st 1998 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette detailing the Steelers compensatory draft picks.

Stub from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 1, 1998. Thanks to Gordon Gordon Dedman, @SteelUK for supplying this.

Free agent exoduses had been the norm in Pittsburgh throughout the 1990s. The 1997 Steelers AFC Championship loss seemed to have proven franchise could defy gravity. Instead, 1998 was the year the Steelers came crashing back down to earth.

Now, several things led to Bill Cowher’s first losing season in 1998, but a wiser use of draft choices could have helped avert that (see below.)

2. Initial Story Lines Come with a Grain of Salt

The NFL Draft is such a successful media event because its core product is hope. And best way to sell hope is with a good story. And that’s perfectly fine, as long as you remember that many of the initial stories spawned on draft day won’t come to fruition, or at least not the way you expect them to.

When the Steelers drafted him, Chris Berman and company mused about whether Ward’s arrival heralded the advent of Slash II. (“Slash” is of course Kordell Stewart, whose play as a QB/WR/RB helped propel the 1995 Steelers all the way to Super Bowl XXX.)

Ward after all had played quarterback and running back in addition to wide receiver at Georgia. Both the Post-Gazette and Tribune Review ran articles exploring the “Slash” angle.

Hines Ward, Super Bowl XL, Steelers Super Bowl XL, Antwaan Randle El Hines Ward Super Bowl XL

Hines Ward seals the win in Super Bowl XL. Photo Credit: Bill Frakes, Sports Illustrated

They were great draft-day stories, and Ward authored a Hall of Fame-worthy resume which included his MVP performance in Super Bowl XL. But he only threw two passes in his NFL career.

3. Good Drafts Age Like Fine Wine

To borrow from Eddie Van Halen, a “Right Here, Right Now” mentality dominates the NFL draft.

People go to the inane extent of grading mock drafts. Before the ink on draft cards even dries, we’re bombarded by “draft grades.”

That’s fun. It generates clicks. But no amount of page views can alter the simple reality that judging a draft takes several years. Tom Donahoe’s final drafts in Pittsburgh prove that point.

Dan Rooney, Dan Rooney decisions, Tom Donahoe, Bill Cowher, Tom Modark, Steelers 1992 Draft

Tom Donahoe, Tom Modark, Dan Rooney and Bill Cowher in the Steelers 1992 draft room. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Dan Rooney fired Tom Donahoe after the 1999 Steelers finished 6-10. Rooney’s main reason was that Donahoe and Cowher were barely on speaking terms. But at the time, many also questioned Donahoe’s personnel decisions, particularly his recent drafts.

The 1998 and 1999 drafts brought Alan Faneca, Hines Ward, Deshea Townsend, Joey Porter, Sr. and Aaron Smith to Pittsburgh. Today, we see them as foundational players of the Steelers second Super Bowl Era.

  • But that would have been a hard sell when Kevin Colbert was hired in 2000.

Aaron Smith was an unknown. Joey Porter Sr. was the pre-season sensation that Carlos Emmons had kept on the bench. Deshea Townsend had started 4 games and wouldn’t start full-time until Dick LeBeau returned in 2004.

Kevin Colbert actively tried to replace Hines Ward in his first draft and, in the pages of the Steelers Digest, Bob Labriola was raising questions, albeit in measured tones, about Alan Faneca.

Yes. Like Riglos Gran Crote, good drafts age well with time.

4. Measure Drafts by Quality, Not Quantity

True to his word, Tom Donahoe didn’t draft 14 players, trading a 2nd, a 3rd and a 5th to move up to get Jeremy Staat in the 2nd round. So Donahoe gave up 3 picks to get one player who made 2 career starts. Anyone of those picks could have been to add a much-needed offensive tackle or wide receiver.

On the flip side, the Steelers picked 13 players in the 2003 and 2004 drafts. And collectively, those drafts only yielded 4 starters. Sounds pretty damning doesn’t it? Well, it does, until you consider that those starters were Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor, Max Starks and Ben Roethlisberger.

Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, AFC Championship

Ben Roethlisberger hugs Troy Polmalu after the AFC Championship. Photo Credit: Pin Interest

The Steelers don’t win either Super Bowl XL or Super Bowl XLIII if they’re missing any one of those players. Joe Flacco, Matt Hasselbeck or Ken Whisenhunt would all agree.

The lesson for Omar Khan? When in doubt, draft the next Hall of Famer.

5. Steelers Should be Swindlers Not Suckers

Like their predecessors, there’s little chance Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy will draft 12 players later this week. Khan, as we know, likes to wheel-and-deal.

And while most of the focus is on who Khan should trade up for, where he should do it and how much he should give up, the Steelers would be wise try to trade 2026 picks for picks in the 2027 NFL Draft.

How might this dynamic play out? Khan’s own words from the George Pickens trade press conference guide us. This is how Khan explained the value of draft picks:

But, yeah, when you’re, the day of the draft or going through the draft, every one of those picks feels like they’re the greatest pick. You don’t want to get rid of them. They’re valuable. They’re all important.

Here’s the simple English take away: Suckers are born every minute in the NFL draft.

  • The Steelers have been suckers in the past.

During the 2013 NFL Draft, Steelers traded their 2014 third round pick for a 2013 4th rounder get Shamarko Thomas (Ouch!). In the 2021 NFL Draft they traded their 2022 fourth rounder to get a 2021 5th rounder to draft Isaiahh Loudermilk (ouch!)

It takes two to tango — Khan can’t simply snap his fingers and turn one (or two) of the Steelers 2026 thirds in to 2027 seconds. Moreover, the Bengals-Giants Dexter Lawrence trade suggests there’ll be a buyer’s market in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Sounds like its time for someone to go out and remind us why we call him the Khan artist…..

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Steelers 2026 Draft Needs at Wide Receiver – Depth Needed

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Wide receiver was a need for the Steelers in 2024. Omar Khan thought he’d addressed by picking Roman Wilson.

A year later, going into the 2025 NFL Draft, wide receiver was only a Moderate need for the Steelers. That was a fair assessment then because they still had George Pickens. Then they traded Pickens.

That may have been a wise move, Pickens’ outstanding year in Dallas notwithstanding, but the Steelers were counting on Roman Wilson in 2025 and he was a non-factor. Consequently, for a second straight season, the Steelers found themselves playing critical games in December with a JV wide receiving corps.

Omar Khan has already beefed up the Steelers wide receiving corps via trade, but just how much does that impact the Steelers draft plans for the position going into the 2026 NFL Draft?

This is the latest article in our Steelers 2026 Draft series.

D.K. Metcalf and Ben Skowronek walk off the field following the Steelers road win over the Ravens in December 2025.

D.K. Metcalf and Ben Skowronek leave the field following the Steelers win over the Ravens. Photo Credit: Ed Thompson, SteelersNow

The Steelers Wide Receiver Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Starters

Omar Khan began the 2025 off-season by trading for D.K. Metcalf, hoping to add maturity and firepower to the Steelers wide receiving room.

  • Overall the results were positive, they come with a few qualifications.

At times Metcalf played with the authority of a true, number 1 wide receiver. On other occasions, he failed to make combat catches resulting in turnovers.

D.K. Metcalf, Alohi Gilman, Marlon Humphrey, Steelers vs Ravens

D.K. Metcalf opens the game with a 52 yard catch. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

It should be noted that Metcalf exploded with 7 catches for 148 yards in the upset over the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium, and his elevated play was a big part of the reason why the Steelers earned critical victories against the Dolphins and Lions in December.

On the flip side, against the Lions, he got into an altercation with a fan, and was suspended for the final two games of the season, and the Steelers sorely missed him. He also dropped a pass early in the playoff loss to the Texans, sapping the energy out of the Steelers offense for the rest of the night.

Khan again opened the 2026 off-season by trading for another receiver, Michael Pittman Jr.

With Pittman in the fold, the Steelers now have two varsity NFL starting wide receivers for the first time in several seasons…

The Steelers Wide Receiver Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Backups

…And behind those varsity wide receivers, the Steelers have Cole Burgess, A.T. Perry, John Rhys Plumlee, Brandon Smith, Ben Skowronek, and Roman Wilson under contract.

Only Perry, Wilson and Skowronek have NFL catches to their name. Limited to catches made for the Steelers, that number drops to Wilson and Skowronek.

Ben Skowronek, Kevin Byard III, Steelers vs Bears

Ben Skowronek makes a catch for 21 yards. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Together the duo totals 21 catches wearing Black and Gold.

Steelers 2026 Draft Needs at Wide Receiver

With D.K. Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. the Steelers have two solid starters. They’re both 28 and neither has much of an injury history.

And IF Roman Wilson makes good on the potential coaches and scouts saw in him in 2026, and IF Ben Skowronek makes a Yancey Thigpen–like transformation from ace special teamer to playmaking wide receiver, adding to the position really doesn’t need to be a priority for Pittsburgh in the upcoming draft.

The Pittsburgh Steelers draft needs scale

Those are some pretty big IFs.

  • And no one either inside or outside of Pittsburgh is counting on those IFs coming to fruition.

Thanks to the Pittman trade, the Steelers don’t need to find an immediate starter at wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft.

And they don’t necessarily need to find someone who can come in and be WR. No. 3 on opening day, but it is close. Therefore, the Steelers” need at wide receiver entering the 2026 NFL Draft should be considered High.

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Steelers Lose Calvin Austin, Connor Heyward as Final Picks from 2022 Draft Depart

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The Pittsburgh Steelers can [almost] officially declare their 2022 NFL Draft as a wash, as the final members of that draft class, Calvin Austin and Connor Heyward, have departed in free agency.

Calvin Austin will leave the Steelers to play for former AFC North Rival John Harbaugh with the New York Giants. Reports indicate that Austin has signed a one-year contract with a base salary of 1.5 million and incentives that could bring him up to 4.5 million.

Calvin Austin, Greg Newsome, Pittsburgh Steelers

Calvin Austin hauls in a touchdown. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Connor Heyward for his part has agreed to terms with the Las Vegas Raiders, who have given Cam Heyward’s little brother a 5.5 million dollar, 2-year contract with 2 million guaranteed.

Neither move should be considered a surprise, although both count as minor disappointments to this Steelers scribe. Of the two moves, Austin’s departure is the most impactful.

The Steelers have D.K. Metcalf and just traded for Michael Pittman Jr., giving them two legitimate NFL caliber wide receivers for the first time since the 2023 season when they had Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. But behind Metcalf and Michael Pittman the Steelers have Ben Skowronek and Roman Wilson.

The Steelers entered the 2025 season counting on Roman Wilson to establish himself as Robin to D.K. Metcalf’s Batman. Instead, he finished the year on the inactive list. And while Ben Skowronek has represented himself well in spot duty at wide receiver, he’s a core special teamer.

Even if they’d kept Calvin Austin in the fold the Steelers would have likely looked to draft a wide receiver in the first round, but now they’re in a position of almost take a wide out no later than round 2 in the 2026 NFL Draft.

  • Connor Heyward’s departure also thins out depth at tight end.

The Steelers do have JJ Galbreath behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, but they don’t even have another player under a “futures” contract at the tight end position. Connor Heyward’s departure also robs the team of the only player they had who had worked as a fullback.

Finally, Heyward was an impressive contributor on special teams who will now need to be replaced.

With Austin and Heyward officially no longer Steelers, nothing remains of the Steelers 2022 draft class, save for the third round pick they have from Dallas following the George Pickens trade.

Killebrew Reunites with Danny Smith in Tampa

Miles Killebrew has been a special teams ace for the Pittsburgh Steelers since his arrival in 2021 until suffering an awful season-ending injury on the turf at Acrisure Stadium in the Steelers win over the Cleveland Browns last October.

Miles Killebrew, Steelers vs Chargers 2021, Miles Killebrew blocked punt

Miles Killebrew blocks a punt. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Unfortunately, that was Killebrew’s final game with the Steelers, as he will reunite with special teams coach Danny Smith, after signing as one-year 1.8 million dollar contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Killebrew’s decision is hardly a surprise, as reports indicated that he had put his home in Pittsburgh up for sale earlier this year.

There have other comings and goings in Steelers free agency which we’ll have more to say about soon.

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Steelers Free Agency: Should Pittsburgh Re-Sign Calvin Austin?

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With NFL free agency about to open, the Steelers again face questions about their wide receiver room and whether they should keep one of their own. It wasn’t always this way….

…Once upon a time, word was that “The Pittsburgh Steelers have the touch of gold when it comes to finding wide receivers.”

Sure, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the Steelers opened the last decade fielding the following four wide out set: Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown.

When Martavis Bryant started sabotaging himself with substance abuse, the Steelers drafted JuJu Smith-Schuster seemingly as easily as if it were stopping in at Giant Eagle to get a half pound of Kielbasa, a half pound of chipped ham and a package of Kondikes.

  • Alas, their golden touch began to leaden as decade closed.

Yes, Kevin Colbert drafted good wide receivers like former Steelers Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and George Pickens, but they all turned into divas, and each of them got traded away. So finding wide outs that they want to keep in Pittsburgh has been a problem.

Calvin Austin III becomes a free agent next week, and today we look at whether he should be the one to break the recent trend.

Calvin Austin catches to go ahead touchdown pass during the 2025 Steelers regular season finale win over the Ravens.

Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin catches the go-ahead touchdown vs the Ravens in the 2025 season finale. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Capsule Profile of Calvin Austin’s Career with the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers drafted Calvin Austin in the 4th round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Austin, unfortunately, lost his rookie season to injury. He returned for his season as WR No. 3 behind Johnson and Pickens and appeared in all 17 games, but only made 17 catches for 180 yards and a touchdown.

In 2024, Austin started 8 games and in many ways made the proverbial “second year leap.” While he didn’t prove he was someone who could “step up” in George Pickens’ absence, Austin did show an ability to make tough catches late in the season.

Calvin Austin, Greg Newsome, Pittsburgh Steelers

Calvin Austin hauls in a touchdown. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Injuries hampered Austin to start 2025, and he was less of an impact player than he’d been the year before. Still, he came on strong in the season finale, and will always hold the distinction of being the man to catch the last touchdown pass of the Mike Tomlin era.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Calvin Austin in 2026

After seeing Calvin Austin down the stretch in 2024 and 2025 something is clear – he’s not a legit NFL No. 2 wide receiver, let alone a No. 1. And that’s the point – Calvin Austin wasn’t drafted to be one. Asking him to be says more about the team than it does about Austin.

Austin has shown himself as a legit number 3 wide receiver who, despite his small size, can make tough catches.

Calvin Austin, Steelers vs Ravens

Calvin Austin hauls in a sideline pass. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

No one is going to throw a lot of money at Calvin Austin and Pittsburgh’s wide receiver room is perilously thin. They can and should keep him in Pittsburgh on a cap-friendly deal.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Calvin Austin in 2026

The Steelers wide receivers have been atrocious for the last two seasons. Calling them a JV wide receiving corps might be generous. Calvin Austin has been part of the problem and isn’t part of the solution.

  • The 2022 Draft was Kevin Colbert’s last and arguably his worst.

Connor Heyward and Calvin Austin are all that remain of that class. Time to finish ripping off the band aid.

The Curtain’s Call on Calvin Austin and the Steelers

Word was last summer at St. Vincents that the Steelers might be targeting Austin for a contract extension. They did not, and Omar Khan can be glad he kept Art Rooney II’s check book shut. Because Austin didn’t continue to improve in 2025 the way he had in 2024.

  • But that doesn’t mean the Steelers should give up on him.

The Steelers have nothing behind D.K. Metcalf at wide out. Sure, Roman Wilson gets a fresh start with a new coaching staff, but you can’t count on him. For this scribe’s money retaining Calvin Austin and asking him to play or complete for the WR No. 3 role would be a win-win for both sides.

  • But it isn’t this scribe’s money.

The Steelers rarely give second contracts to wide receivers and Mike McCarthy has a history of favoring tall wide outs. Calvin Austin is 5’9”. All of which means that the touchdown pass he caught helping Mike Tomlin win his last game during the 2025 season finale is likely Calvin Austin’s last as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

 

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Help!? Steelers Trade for Safety Kyle Dugger, Make More Roster Moves

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The 2nd half of the Steelers loss to Green Bay was a miserable affair. But credit Cris Collinsworth for working in a laugh. At some point during Jordan Love’s 20 consecutive passing streak, Collinsworth floated the idea that the Steelers might trade for a wide receiver.

  • My immediate reaction: “Wide receiver? What about defensive back?”

Omar Khan agrees apparently, as the Steelers have traded with the New England Patriots for safety Kyle Dugger. The Steelers will send a 6th round pick to New England and get a 7th rounder along with Dugger in back.

With DeShon Elliott injured and out for an indefinite period of time, the Steelers secondary is reeling.

The defense struggled mightily without Elliott in the season’s first three weeks, and the wheels came off of what had been a solid first-half defensive effort against the Packers as soon as they lost Elliott.

How much Dugger can contribute remains to be seen, but the stark reality is that the Steelers need bodies in the secondary, with Miles Killebrew, already on IR (not that you’d really want to see Killebrew suiting up at safety.)

Kyle Durgger, Pat Freiermuth, Steelers vs Patriots

Kyle Dugger tackles Pat Freiermuth. Photo Credit: Seth Wickerstien, Steelers.com

Kyle Dugger @ a Glance

The New England Patriots drafted Kyle Dugger in the 2nd round of the 2020 NFL Draft (12 picks before the Steelers too Chase Claypool) and Dugger appeared in 14 games as a rookie, starting 7 and then earned the starting role in 2021.

Dugger started though the 2024 season, hauling in 9 interceptions, 2 pick sixes, 24 passes defensed, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and 3.5 sacks.

Like fellow Patriot safety cast-off Jabril Peppers, the word is that Dugger wasn’t a good fit for Mike Vrabel’s scheme. The Patriots have been looking to unload him since this summer given his salary.

Can Dugger Really Help?

Judging by his resume, Dugger appears to be “starter capable.” But given that New England only asked for a 6th and threw in a 7th it is fair to ask why the Patriots were so eager to part with him.

  • The Steelers success rate with trades made in training camp or during the season is mixed at best.

Levi Brown ever saw the field, nor did William Jackson. Felix Jones, Avery Williamson and Brandon Boykin were duds. Justin Gilbert was a good guy to take a flyer on, but thank God they only gave up a 6th for him instead of taking him in he first, as some thought they would.

The Steelers traded for Vannett in the middle of the 2019 season, started him immediately and he helped convert a critical 3rd down in his first game. And that was almost the last time we heard his name.

Mike Williams arrived in Pittsburgh in at the trade deadline last year, and entered the game against the Commanders making the go ahead catch. After that Williams sightings were scarce, even after George Pickens went down with injury.

With all that said, the Steelers needed to add someone, and they’ve brought in someone with 69 starts to his name.

Trice Practices, Steelers Make Other Moves

Cornerback Cory Trice who has been on injured reserve since the summer, has returned to practice. He remains on IR but could be activated as early as this week.

Trice missed his rookie season due to injury, and missed the first 11 games of 2024 on injured reserve as well.

Whether he can stay healthy is a critical question for the Steelers.

  • But if he can, he’ll be a welcome addition to a secondary screaming for a shot in the arm.

The Steelers have also signed veteran wide out Marquez Valdes-Scantling to their practice squad and will welcome back 2024 undrafted rookie free agent wide out-QB John Rhys Plumlee.

Finally, the Steelers added Jack Driscoll and Darrick Forrest to the practice squad.

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Heart & Hustle: Steelers Mastering 2 Intangibles Exiting Bye Week

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The Steelers win over the Vikings last week in Dublin did more than just give the franchise its first 3-1 start in five years: At allowed two players to showcase talents that fall well outside of the “measurables.”

To be sure, there were plenty of encouraging “measurables” on display, from D.K. Metcalf’s monster touchdown, to Nick Herbig’s not-so-quiet campaign to Wally Pipp Alex Highsmith, to big plays by T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward.

  • Those players, along with several others, authored great performances.

But the two that give this scribe hope came from Broderick Jones and Peyton Wilson.

Broderick Jones, Steelers vs Vikings, Steelers vs Vikings Dublin, Aaron Rogers, Isaac Seumalo

Broadrick Jones during the Steelers win in Dublin. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Both men had earned their fair share of criticism during the first 3 weeks of the season and for good reason.  And both men improved their performances, as measured by the stat sheet.

Broderick Jones’ came just before the 2 minute warning of the first half.

Given that this drive ended in a blocked Chris Boswell field goal its easy to overlook this play. And superficial observers could counter by pointing out that Lady Luck shone her favor on Broderick Jones as Aaron Rodgers’ fumble literally bounced into his lap.

But that would be the cynical take.

Broderick Jones was able to capitalize on that luck because he was in the right place, and he was in the right place because he was running to the ball. You’ll note that this is the same trait that Chuck Noll complimented Franco Harris for immediately after the Immaculate Reception.

No one of course is over-looking Payton Wilson’s big moment, capping off what had already been a big day for him. But the focus here on this play falls a bit off the mark. Everyone’s commenting on how his 22.48 m.p.h speed is the fastest and NFL linebacker has been clocked at since 2017.

Fair enough. How many linebackers can outrun a high-pedigree wide receiver has a head start? Not many.

But, as observed in the Steelers Report Card, Wilson’s run down of Jordan Addison says as much about his heart and passion for the game as it does about his athleticism. How many thought that Addison was taking it to the house as soon as he caught it?

  • That’s everyone in the stadium and everyone who watched on TV.

Well, everyone except Payton Wilson. Making a play like that doesn’t just require speed, it requires want-to, hunger for victory and above all belief that you can make a difference.

Hustle and heart alone don’t translate into wins, championships or All Pro careers. If they did, Merril Hoge would be candidate for membership in the Pro Football Hall of Fame instead of the Steelers Hall of Honor.

But Jones’ and Wilson’s displays of focus and desire are a refreshing contrast to the the way we saw Diontae Johnson and George Pickens mail it in at critical moments in years’ past.

And that’s a positive change as the Steelers exit the bye week.

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6 Quick Takeaways as Steelers Lose 17-14 to Buccaneers in Preseason

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The Pittsburgh Steelers dropped their preseason home opener to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the tune of 17-14, as a late Logan Woodside interception gave Tampa Bay the ball deep in Steelers territory, allowing them to kick a field goal as time expired.

The result itself tells us very little. The game yielded both good and bad takeaways for Steelers fans, and here are 6 of those plus a bonus program note.

Keeanu Benton, Steelers vs Buccaneers 2025 preseason

Keeanu Benton blocks a pass. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

1. Absence of Starters Self-Evident

Mike Tomlin opted to sit at least 20 players going into the game, including 13 who could be considered starters, including his top three skill players, Aaron Rodgers, D.K. Metcalf and Jaylen Warren.

ON the defensive side, T.J. Watt, DeShon Elliott, Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay and Joey Porter also sat.

We’ll only know if that’s a wise football decision if the Steelers can avoid sloppy play in early September, and succeed in dodging the injury bug by late December. But from a product marketing perspective, the product on the field clearly suffered.

Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher

Chuck Noll & Bill Cower after the last game at Three Rivers Stadium. Photo via 6th Ring.com

Not that the men who suited up were delivering sub-standard performances, but this game had the look and feel of a preseason contest – far cry from August of 1994 when a preseason contest between the Steelers and Raiders got so heated that Rod Woodson found himself ejected.

After the game the intensity had Bill Cowher telling Chuck Noll, “I don’t know what you started, but it seems like I’ve got to finish it.” (Or something close to that, this quote’s from memory.)

2. The Kids Are Alright

Collectively, the Steelers looked good in their preseason win over the Jaguars last week. But rookie running back Kaleb Johnson looked lost at times, and Derrick Harmon remained invisible on the stat sheet.

That had some commentators worried, but the take away here was “The Kids Will be Alright.”

  • And against the Buccaneers, they were.

Derrick Harmon drew several double-teams and overall appeared disruptive, and managed a sack Kyle Trask with a pure bull rush. Kaleb Johnson average 4.5 yards a carry on 11 runs including a long one of 14 yards. He also had a catch of 9 yards.

Moreover, Johnson looked sharp as a kick returner, averaging 27 yards a return with a long one of 34.

3. When in Rome, Do As the Romans?

Several members of the Steelers 2024 draft class had their rookie years ruined by injuries. Out of that group, perhaps no one was a bigger X factor than Roman Wilson. When asked about his wide receiver room following the George Pickens trade, Omar Khan expressed confidence in his 2025 group and rejected comparisons to the team’s situation at the same point in 2024.

  • He didn’t mention Roman Wilson by name, but he didn’t have to.

After a shaky start at St. Vincents, Wilson’s name became mentioned more prominently. He played well against the Jaguars, and made two impressive catches against the Buccaneers that totaled 72 yards.

  • Clearly, Roman Wilson is headed in the right direction.

But has he shown enough to make Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan going with Metcalf, Calvin Austin and Wilson as their top 3 wide outs. Even if Scott Miller and Brandon Johnson have looked good in preseason, the Steelers depth at wide out remains thin.

4. Run Blocking A Concern?

The good news is that, for the second straight week, Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu looked good in pass protection.

However, overall the Steelers run blocking, which has been a weakness in training camp, looked so-so at best against the Buccaneers. Yes, Lew Nichols and Evan Hull had long runs, but Kenneth Gainwell “started” and got nowhere in his two runs against Tampa’s number 1s.

Historically, preseason has been a pretty good barometer for performance of specific units. Indeed, in the summer of 1998 it seemed that the Steelers run blocking was slipping. When the regular season started, the unit did OK, particularly when Alan Faneca worked himself into the lineup, but things went south after injuries ended Justin Strzelczyk’s season and career.

5. Punt It Out

One of the few true position battles the Steelers have this summer is at punter. Both Corliss Waitman and Cameron Johnston leaned into the completion Saturday night.

Waitman averaged 58 yards on his punts, and although Johnston “only” average 42 yards, in did get two inside the 20. Danny Smith and Mike Tomlin don’t have an easy decision in front of them, but that’s a good problem to have.

6. Odds and Sods

Cole Holcomb had another outstanding night and appears to be back inform following his gruesome injury suffered in the middle of 2023. Keeanu Benton also deflected a pass and rebounded from a subpar game last week.

If all goes well, the Steelers won’t see Miles Killebrew lining up in the secondary this fall, but he also had a pass defensed. So did Beanie Bishop and Brandin Echols.

The Steelers depth at inside linebacker and in the secondary appears to be solid.

Bonus: Program Note on DAZN

For the second straight week I watched that ad-free replay of the game on DAZN, which owns NFL Game Pass international. And for the second straight week, edits not only eliminated commercials, but also key series.

Last week it was Max Hurlman’s catch and touchdown. This week it was Ben Sauls missed field goal.

I do realize that DAZN is headquartered in London, England and therefore some of their production team might not be well-versed in American football, but get it together guys.

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Steelers Offense Struggling? Training Camp History Says Chill

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If you’re a Steelers fan you know the story of training camp thus far: The defense has performed exceptionally well while the offense has struggled.

Al Saunders explained that “ defense has taken the “offense’s lunch money whenever it wanted to.”

Jim Wexell quoted Mike Tomlin as calling “’a really big day, kind of the culmination of a big week for us,’ but it was another fizzle by the offense.”

Mike DeFabo laid out 4 overarching concerns about the Steelers offense supported by detailed dissections of Arthur Smith unit’s struggles in “7 on 7 Shots” and on the goal line drill.

How, pray tell, should Steelers navigate this no man’s land between hope for the defense and despair over the offense?

Jack Sawyer, Evan Hull, Malik Harrison, Steelers training camp 2025, Steelers at St. Vincent's 2025

Jack Sawyer and Malik Harrison force an Evan Hull fumble in 7 on 7 shots. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Is it already too early write 2025 off as yet another year when Mike Tomlin “wasted a great defense,” failing to capitalize on T.J. Watt’s prime while cheating Cam Heyward?

Of course it is.

And there’s proof. To find it you need to look back to past summers at St. Vincents. Fear not. There’s no need return Joe Greene doing the Oklahoma Drill in 1969, or Chuck Noll installing the shotgun July 1989, or even Ben Roethlisberger turning heads as a rookie in the summer of 2004.

  • You don’t even need to go back before the pandemic.

You only need look back to this point in the summer of 2023. Of course we all remember how flawless the Steelers looked in preseason that August. This skeptical scribe even allowed himself to nip at the Kool Aid.

Of course preseason was a mirage. But what were they saying before the preseason started?

Everyone’s forgotten. Including me. Fortunately, thanks to the magic of the internet we can look it up.

2023 = 365 Days of Summer @ St. Vincents

Roy Countryman traveled to St. Vincents and had this to say on August 9th, 2023:

* Kenny Pickett is processing his reads quickly, and with the added muscle he put on during the offseason it allows him to uncork passes into tight windows with just a shade more velocity.

*The Steelers offense has a plethora of weaponry, and should have the option to get creative with play-calling, especially in red zone scenarios with versatile players such as Connor Heyward and Kendrick Green. There should be no excuse they are not a top 10 team in red zone efficiency.

Wooh. Roy Countryman is easily one of the best Steelers-focused draft analysts in the business, but those to observations didn’t age well.

But Countryman was in good company. His boss at Steel City Insider, Jim Wexell offered this on August 6th. After detailing his efforts to secure an excellent one-on-one with George Pickens, he widened his focus to the rest of the offense offering this:

…. combined with the precise Diontae Johnson, the receiving corps – with savvy veteran Allen Robinson scoring once again in 7 Shots – is picking up steam with quarterback Kenny Pickett.

The raves began pouring in Friday night, and Saturday afternoon the Steelers’ passing game reached its offseason apex. It might be time to get excited.

For real.

A few days later after the Steelers cleaned Tampa Bay’s clock in preseason, the excitement did start to get real.

And there were reasons for things to be real, one of those was Wexell’s assessment of Broderick Jones:

But there’s more to the excitement, and part of it is the infusion of that freakish Georgia talent. Joining Pickens this season from the ruling kings of college ball is first-round pick Broderick Jones, who looks to one day put a decade-long stranglehold on the very difficult and very important left tackle position.

Now, here comes the part of the article where the author admits to exercising artistic license earlier in the piece: I lied about not remembering the reports from training camp 2023.

I remembered the positive vibes coming out of St. Vincents two summers ago, but I wanted to confirm my memory and find concrete examples to offer as evidence. While that’s part of the craft of any good writer, it also reminds us that research often yields unintended insights.

Wolfley’s View

The late, great Craig Wolfley published his own piece on Steel City Insider on August 8th of 2023. While Wofley’s take was overall positive, he didn’t paint his picture broad strokes that his follow writers at Steel City Insider did.

  • Instead, he honed in on individual players.

Wolfley sang the praises of George Pickens, predicted Keeanu Benton’s strong rookie year, and gave a special shout-out to rookie Nick Herbig. He also was positive on Borderick Jones, but Wofley warned, “he still has a tendency to give away the inside pass rush.”

Wolfley’s observations about each player were pretty close to spot on. And that tells us something important, beyond reminding us of how lucky we were to have Wolf and how much we miss him.

It really just goes to show you that training camp evaluations are as much of an art as they are a science.

Daily battle reports from training camp are since part of it, as they represent hard snapshots taken in real time. The ability to stich those together, that’s where the art lies. And Craig Wolfley had an uncanny knack that surpassed the rest of his peers.

Steelers Yin an Yang

Image credit: Sybildeckerdf via Pin Interest

So yes, the Steelers defense has looked good so far, and yes the offense has taken its time to find its footing. While that might not be encouraging, its hardly surprising as that’s the side of the ball that’s seen the most turnover.

So if you’re feeling bad about the direction of the Steelers offense, just think back to how good you felt about it two summers ago, let the feelings balance out. When you get the that point, remind yourself of Chuck Noll’s credo that “Life is a journey” and enjoy the ride.

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Steelers 2025 Training Camp Kicks Off: What This Offseason Really Taught Us

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Steelers training camp has finally arrived!

Soon social media will be awash with images of newcomers such as D.K. Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Rodgers making their first arrival at St. Vincents. We’ll also see plenty of familiar faces like T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward and Pat Freiermuth returning to Latrobe.

Cam Heyward, Cameron Heyward, St. Vincents, Latrobe, Steekers training camp, dorms

Cam Heyward at St. Vincents in July 2022. Photo Credit: AP, Keith Sarkocic.

They’ll all be welcome sights because the Steelers 2024 season ended in ignominious fashion with the Ridiculing by the Ravens. Finally, the men and Black and Gold can start doing something about it.

But as practices start tomorrow and you hear immediate pronouncements about Who is already winning the position battle at X and how Such and Such have suddenly found themselves on the roster bubble, if there’s anything lesson that this off season taught us it is this:

  • Let reality unfold at its own pace.

Seriously. Just look back and see how the prevailing narrative on the team has snaked through this off season.

Mike Tomlin began by promising change. Then, when only Grady Brown and Mike Sullivan were dismissed, everyone immediately accused Pittsburgh of standing pat. Then Omar Khan traded for D.K. Metcalf, and everyone leapt to the assumption that the Steelers would make a play for Sam Darnold.

When they did not, and when the Steelers started letting Justin Fields and other free agents walk and focused on signing free agents who wouldn’t count against the compensatory pick formula a new thread emerged: The Steelers tanking for draft position.

The “Steelers are tanking” yarn spun faster, when Mason Rudolph returned, Russell Wilson followed Fields to New York, the Steelers traded George Pickens and everyone who ever followed professional football tied themselves up in knots wondering when/if Aaron Rodger would ever sign.

“Everyone” didn’t include Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan who acted as if, get this, they were following a plan as opposed to following social media.

  • That anxiety dissipated a bit when Aaron Rodgers finally signed.

Then Omar Khan shocked everyone by trading Minkah Fitzpatrick for Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. The “tank” yarn not only came undone, it reversed itself. “The Steelers Are ‘All In'” we were assured.

So to summarize, the Steelers have gone from doing nothing, to trying to tank to being “All In” on a Super Bowl this year – all in the space of a single off season. At least that’s what aggregated social media feeds would lead you to conclude, when in reality the team has done what it always does: Try to position itself to win now without sacrificing the ability to compete in the future.

The success or failure of 2025 Steelers will indeed be foretold in stories such as Broderick Jones‘s development, Kaleb Johnson‘s ability to push Jaylen Warren at running back and whether Juan Tornhill can both stay healthy and be an adequate replacement Minkah Fitzpatrick.

But remember: Reality unfolds at its own pace. Those stories will take weeks to develop, not days or let alone hours. So keep that in mind and enjoy the ride.

 

 

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