The Pittsburgh Steelers have worked primarily with three different return options this offseason, all of whom are represented on the first official depth chart. WR Calvin Austin III is listed as the starting punt returner, with RB Anthony McFarland Jr. the kick returner. WR Gunner Olszewski is the backup to both.
But there is another option on the table for consideration in the near future in CB Desmond King II. Like Olszewski, he is a former All-Pro returner, and by far has the most experience in the role at the NFL level among all players on the roster.
Though he was just signed a relatively short time ago, however, he is ready to throw his hat in the ring. Even as a starting defensive back, he never stopped his work in the return game and says it’s very much still in his arsenal. “Absolutely”, he told reporters earlier this week, via the team’s website. “Absolutely. That’s not going anywhere”.
King’s biggest moment in the return game actually came against the Steelers back in 2018. He recorded a 73-yard punt return touchdown against them in the 12th game of the season, his Los Angeles Chargers going on to record the victory, 33-30. The punt return touchdown tied the game at 23 early in the fourth quarter and the Chargers never trailed again.
“A lot of people were [talking about that] flashback of 2018 in Pittsburgh. Hopefully I can bring that to the city as well”, King said when asked about that play that he had against his new team five years ago, acknowledging that it was a “big moment” in his career.
But it was far from his only moment. He has 101 punt returns in his NFL career, including 33 last season, for 918 yards, a 9.1-yard average, with two touchdowns. He also has 57 career kick returns for 1,283 yards, though that’s something he has hardly done since 2019. He returned one kick in 2022 for 50 yards.
The Steelers didn’t sign King to be a return man, but rather to give them another option in the secondary, particularly out of the slot. While he should factor into the conversation as a possibility over the course of the season, he would be no better than the fourth option right now.
Still, their starting return men this year are wholly untested at this level, and while their primary backup has an All-Pro on his resume, he is also the same player that the Steelers benched from that role a year ago within the first few games of the season.
There’s also the fact that head coach Mike Tomlin has historically avoided using defenders as return men, though he would probably deny that it is deliberate. In general, he trusts offensive players more with ball security, as they have more experience with the football in their hands on a regular basis.
Even with nine career interceptions, that’s not a lot for King. But his resume as a return man in the NFL is nothing to sneeze at, regardless of what position he plays.
