Entering training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, veteran wide Gunner Olszewski was seemingly an afterthought in a deep wide receiver room. Chances were seemingly high entering training camp that Olszewski would be the odd man out in the room once the 53-man roster cuts were made.
Olszewski defied the odds once again in his career though, earning a spot on the 53-man roster for the Steelers on Tuesday afternoon. He made it through final cuts as the Steelers are set to carry six receivers into the 2023 season with Olszewski in a room that also includes Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Allen Robinson II, Calvin Austin III and Miles Boykin.
For Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, who spoke to reporters following practice Wednesday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side, it came down to the intangibles that Olszewski provides at the position as well as a football player overall.
“Toughness and versatility and smarts. He checks all the intangible boxes,” Tomlin said of Olszewski regarding why he made the 53-man roster, according to video via Steelers.com. “He knows assignments at all positions. He’s a versatile skill set guy. He’s willing to do a lot of things and it’s appreciated.”
The intangibles are impossible to quantify, but they matter in the game of football, especially from a team-building perspective.
Tomlin, GM Omar Khan and the Steelers took that into consideration with Olszewski, who is entering his second season in the Black and Gold.
He seemingly fell out of favor last season after struggling early as a punt returner, muffing a punt in the Week Two loss to the New England Patriots and ultimately losing his job to Steven Sims Jr.
But Olszewski kept his head down and put in the hard work to still hold a roster spot and see playing time at receiver last season. Even though the Steelers added to the position this offseason with the trade for Robinson and the addition of XFL star Hakeem Butler in free agency, which seemingly muddied Olszewski’s chances at a roster spot.
The former undrafted free agent out of Bemidji State was largely comfortable with his back against the wall though.
Teammates and coaches love him, and his competitive nature and toughness showed day after day in training camp. It showed in the preseason too. He’s a hard-nosed, tough-as-nails receiver who loves to throw his body around as a blocker and runs hard after the catch. He has a knack for getting open, too, and has good chemistry with quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky, both of whom praised him this summer.
That matters.
Olszewski’s a veteran, knows his role very well — as Tomlin points out — and throws himself into his role on the field with reckless abandon. That toughness, versatility and smarts along with his willingness to do whatever is asked of him, was enough to earn him a roster spot.
He’s getting a second chance with the Steelers. Let’s see what he does with it.
