In Calvin Austin III’s mind, Pittsburgh Steelers WR DK Metcalf isn’t just a great talent. He’s a great teammate, too. In a wide receiver room without a selfish player occupying it, Austin shared a story of how Metcalf stuck up for him during the Steelers’ Week 4 game against the Minnesota Vikings.
“DK’s such a great teammate,” Austin told reporters Monday as shared by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I asked him after the game. I know when I went down, and I was walking off, I saw a little, not a scuffle, but they were getting into it. I asked DK what it was. He said somebody said something about me when I was on the ground.”
The tape backs that up. Looking at the entire sequence, cameras captured jawing between Metcalf and Vikings players after Austin’s injury. Metcalf became particularly animated, holding up an “L” to ostensibly mean “loser” if the Vikings were trash talking an injured player. Referees had to separate the sides during the injury timeout.
It appears most of Metcalf’s ire was directed toward DL Jonathan Allen.
“It’s just a small example,” Austin said. “But when you’re as close as we are in the receiver room, we want to play for each other. We’re happy when each other succeeds. Having DK on the team has been a really cool experience.”
It’s hardly Metcalf’s only example. He’s walked the line between emotional and egregious well. Unlike past receivers, Metcalf has played clean while still showing an edge on the field. He finishes his blocks and in one instance came off the sideline during the game to join a scrum of players.
Metcalf’s actions came in the same game Austin helped make a play for him. Austin had a key role in Metcalf’s 80-yard touchdown, running the backside defenders off with speed and then throwing a critical final block to get Metcalf into the end zone.
“That’s just what we do as far a team and in the receiver room,” Austin said. “We block for each other.”
That follows the principles and philosophy of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who mandates his receivers block and play selflessly. Smith’s passing game isn’t especially friendly to the wideouts, especially anyone past first place on the depth chart, making their contributions in every other aspect of play important. Austin has been a selfless blocker and playmaker, scoring twice on just 10 receptions.
Pittsburgh’s reshaped its wide receiver room not just in name but personality. Gone are diva headaches like George Pickens and Diontae Johnson. In their place are guys like Metcalf. Still terrific players capable of making big plays. And having each other’s back.
