As a rookie minicamp tryout player, few expected Max Hurleman to get this far. He caught a touchdown pass in the Steelers’ preseason opener and had a chance to catch another Saturday against Tampa Bay. Unfortunately, that chance went right through his hands.
“Definitely left some plays out there that I want to have back,” Hurleman told Bo Marchionte of College2Pro.com after the Steelers’ 17-14 loss to the Buccaneers. “You know, it’s never good when you drop a ball, especially in the end zone. That’s when you just, you got to move on. I was really fortunate to have the support from my teammates and coaches. The ability to bounce back was great, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that without them.”
Hurleman’s drop came early in the game, after the Steelers quickly worked their way down the field.
Fortunately, Pittsburgh scored on a Mason Rudolph touchdown pass to Brandon Johnson just moments later, so the drop didn’t cost the team in the long run. However, it did hurt Hurleman, as it was a missed opportunity for what would have been the second touchdown in as many weeks for the training camp darling.
It’s important to be able to move on from mistakes like that in the NFL. Max Hurleman did just that. Later in the game, he got on top of a muffed punt, giving the Steelers the ball just outside of the red zone.
Hurleman did a good job forgetting about his mistake and rectifying it by securing the Steelers excellent field position later in the game. He credited teammates and OC Arthur Smith for helping him stay locked in.
“I think DeShon Elliott came up to me,” Hurleman told Marchionte. “He was very supportive. Calvin [Austin III] was like, ‘Hey, I’ve been there last preseason.’ And even coach Arthur Smith was in my head, like, ‘I’m coming back to you. Keep your head up. Let’s go. I trust you.'”
Austin has been there before. He struggled to find a role after missing his entire rookie season due to injury. Since then, he’s managed to claw his way up the depth chart and had a nice year in 2024 leading all Steelers receivers in touchdowns. Now, he figures to be in for an even bigger role with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball. That could provide an example for Hurleman, who’s looking to work his way up the depth chart himself.
It’s still a longshot for Max Hurleman to make the roster. However, he’s finding a way to make plays when he needs to across multiple areas of the game. Even if he can’t crack the 53-man roster, he’s shaping up to be somebody the Steelers will want to keep around on their practice squad.
