Going into this season, wide receiver was once again a question mark for the Pittsburgh Steelers. DK Metcalf is a solid number one option, but there’s a lot of uncertainty behind him. Training camp and the preseason didn’t do much to answer that, either. Calvin Austin III looked like he was in the driver’s seat for the Steelers’ number two receiver spot, but an injury kept him out of action for most of training camp and the preseason. However, he’s healthy now, and he had a good Week 1. Aaron Rodgers thinks he could’ve made Austin’s day better, though.
“I gotta get [Austin] more opportunities,” Rodgers said Wednesday via the team’s website. “I had a chance, probably to throw it to him down the middle on third-and-10 with about six minutes left in the game. Just gotta trust it, let it go. Gotta get him involved more. Gotta get more targets for DK [Metcalf].
“I thought we got a lot of great production out of our new guys. I think you’d look at some of the guys we brought in, they all played really physically tough. DK, [Jonnu Smith], and Jalen [Ramsey] especially. But I just gotta get those guys more opportunities.”
Against the New York Jets, Austin posted four catches for 70 yards and one touchdown. While Metcalf was being followed by Jets corner Sauce Gardner, Austin stepped up.
Initially drafted by the Steelers in the fourth round in 2022, Austin has continued to ascend in his NFL career. While he lost his rookie season due to injury, he’s gotten better and better every season since then. Last year, he took a noticeable jump, recording 36 catches for 548 yards and four touchdowns.
He’s carrying that momentum over, starting 2025 on the right foot. However, Rodgers sounds sure that Austin can be even better. The play he mentions was actually a third-and-15, and if the Steelers hadn’t won the game, that might’ve been one Rodgers was kicking himself for more.
It ended in a sack, and the Steelers were forced to punt the ball away while still trailing the Jets. Thankfully, their defense stepped up and forced a stop on the following drive.
However, Rodgers could’ve tossed the ball up for Austin, who comes free in the middle of the field. He’s got a lot of separation, so if Rodgers had cut that ball loose, Austin could’ve picked up a huge gain.
It’s still Week 1, though. Rodgers is still likely shaking a little bit of rust off. The important thing is that he sounds determined to make a play like that the next time it’s available.
This week, the Steelers play the Seattle Seahawks, who have many playmakers on defense. We’ll see if Rodgers can distribute the ball to his playmakers again. With Metcalf likely in for another tough matchup, Austin should have opportunities to make plays. He had an encouraging Week 1, and hopefully, that momentum gets carried into Week 2.
