The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the full swing of things at training camp in Latrobe, PA and the team put the pads on for the first time on Wednesday. Things got a little chippy with some fights here and there, which is to be expected on the first couple of days of pads. There are always fights between the offense and defense, and that was the case on Wednesday as the defense was able to win the day. The defense is certainly the superior unit in Pittsburgh, but the offense wants to be able to compete with some of the best in the league.
Gene J. Puskar / AP photo
Steelers' Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf lined up and starting a play during mandatory minicamp.
One of the veterans trying to lead the offense towards being more competitive with the defense is newly acquired wide receiver DK Metcalf. He was frustrated after the offense seemingly lost the day on Wednesday, and he spoke to the media on Thursday afternoon about the necessary steps the offense is taking to get better as a whole.
"Nobody likes to lose like that, nobody likes to get pushed around the first day of pads," Metcalf said. "But we took it personal, cleaned up some of our technique stuff, some of our splits. And we put an emphasis in the meeting room yesterday that we were gonna come out here and try to ball."
It is no surprise that the Pittsburgh defense was able to come out and somewhat dominate. It is the highest-paid defense in the league, and there are stars at every level of the group. This will help the offense progress throughout training camp and the rest of the season, especially if every player is approaching practice with the same mindset as Metcalf.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' DK Metcalf works out during voluntary workouts in the 2025 offseason.
Metcalf brings fans a breath of fresh air at the wide receiver position. He has embraced a leadership for Pittsburgh, which is something the organization has not had from its top wide receiver over the last several seasons. He and quarterback Aaron Rodgers bring a veteran presence to the offense, while also still being able to produce at this stage of their careers. Their chemistry has already been growing throughout training camp.
DK Metcalf with another acrobatic grab from Aaron Rodgers in traffic. Alex Highsmith rushing from TJ Watt’s spot this period with Watt getting an off day
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) July 31, 2025
If Rodgers and Metcalf can click on offense, everything else should open up for the Steelers. It will help the run game, and it will also take some attention away from other weapons in the passing game. Going against the reworked secondary of the Steelers, along with one of the league's best pass rushes, will only prepare the duo on offense for the 2025 season.
Rodgers has to practice with TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith pressuring him on nearly every snap, while Metcalf is lining up across from either Joey Porter Jr., Darius Slay, or Jalen Ramsey. There is no reason the two shouldn't be in mid-season form by the time Week 1 comes around.
Charles LeClaire / USA TODAY Sports
Former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (#14) catches a touchdown over former Steelers safety Terrell Edmunds during a regular season matchup (#34) at Heinz Field back in 2019.
Steelers Will Be Relying Heavily On Metcalf In 2025
Metcalf is the only true reliable threat at wide receiver for Pittsburgh going into the 2025 season, although Calvin Austin III has made great strides and has turned into a solid wideout. Metcalf is going to be relied upon heavily as the top target in the offense, and he should be primed to have one of the better seasons of his career. He is going to be seeing a lot of defensive attention throughout the year, which is why facing the matchups that he is in practice is important. It will only get him ready for what he is going to see in the regular season.
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