Steelers' Mike Tomlin Praises Young Wide Receiver For Oustanding Growth

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been working with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a joint practice before playing each other in their Week 2 matchup of the 2025 preseason. Practicing against one another all day every day can get mundane, so it's always nice to have another team to work against. It's also a good way to test out how certain players have grown.

During a press conference before the joint practice, Head Coach Mike Tomlin was asked about how wide receiver Roman Wilson has taken advantage of injuries around him, which has given him more reps of late. Tomlin had plenty of praise for the second-year wideout, even saying unfortunate circumstances for other players had no impact on anything.

"I think his performance has zero to do with Calvin [Austin III], to be honest with you," Tomlin said. "His performance is about his growth and development. I like the trajectory of it. He's made plays when called upon, he's hard working and available day in and day out; he brings a good can-do attitude. He's an example of a second-year guy that -- although he didn't have a lot of playing experience from last year, it's his second year in the program, and it should show, and it has."

In the Sunday before the first preseason game, Wilson had an underwhelming performance that led to him getting publicly called out. Since then, everything has seemed to click a little better for him, and he has grown throughout the entire process. Even if the absence of Calvin Austin III had no impact on his development, the former third-round pick has done a nice job of making his case for the starting lineup over the previous two weeks. 

In that first preseason game, Wilson made a pair of nice receptions, including a 19-yard catch, as he made the start with the hybrid first/second team offense. Tomlin also mentioned that the same veterans that missed that game will miss the upcoming one against Tampa Bay, which means that Wilson would most likely get the start again (even if Austin is healthy enough to perform). 

Steelers Have Another Injury That Benefits Wilson

As Tomlin says, one man's misfortune is another man's opportunity. Not only has Wilson been able to practice more on the outside, but he has seen plenty of time in the slot as well with tight end Jonnu Smith constantly being on and off the field the last few weeks. Smith has been expected to play multiple positions for the Steelers offensively, including slot receiver. 

Based on what Tomlin said, he would likely also not credit Smith's injuries for Wilson's great development as of late. At the end of the day, the second-year receiver still needs to prove himself whether he's playing against starters or backups, and that is exactly what he has done thus far. Even when both players return from injury, there will be room for Wilson to roll with the starters in certain packages and as a rotational piece. 

Another thing the injuries can't be credited for is how smart of a player Wilson has become. He had a hard time getting the timing down on running routes early in camp, as well as the limited practice time in 2024. Over the previous two weeks, he has started to master that craft and develop more of a route tree. As long as he keeps working, he will have plenty of looks in the regular season.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is very demanding of his receivers and has been known to not look at someone throughout a game if they make mistakes. At first, it seemed like that could happen with Wilson and Rodgers. However, the young wideout has been building chemistry with his new quarterback, and he could go from a non-factor, to a primary weapon if he keeps up his growth and development.

What do you think about Tomlin praising Wilson's growth? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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