Steelers Fans May Hate Darnell Washington's Reduced Role In 2026

The Pittsburgh Steelers had the entire NFL world expecting a massive success from their three tight ends in the 2025 season. On paper, Pittsburgh’s offense looked loaded to many pundits with Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, and Jonnu Smith all in the mix. It is no secret that Smith was disappointing throughout the year, but Washington was not. At the same time, many Steelers fans were left wondering why Freiermuth did not see more targets, as former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and quarterback Aaron Rodgers never seemed to fully unlock the potential of what was considered one of the league’s deeper tight end rooms.

The one clear win to come out of that group was Washington, at least before he suffered a season ending injury. In 2025, Washington finished with 31 catches for 364 receiving yards and one touchdown, numbers that will not jump off the stat sheet, but still tell an important story. 

Those 364 yards often came at critical moments, showcasing his physical, bruising style and ability to move the chains when the Steelers needed it most. His absence was felt in the postseason, where Steeler Nation could not help but imagine how his presence might have changed the offense.

Looking ahead to 2026, many fans are hoping Washington is rewarded with an expanded role based on what he showed when healthy. However, Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo does not expect that opportunity to grow. In fact, he has hinted that Washington could see a reduced role under the new regime led by Head Coach Mike McCarthy and Offensive Coordinator Brian Angelichio, which could be another frustrating development for a fan base still waiting to see this tight end room fully maximized. 

"I think Washington is their best blocking tight end, so he'll definitely have a role," Fittipaldo said on Tuesday. "Just not sure if it will be as expansive as it was under Arthur Smith."

It also could mean Steelers fans finally get their wish and see Freiermuth receive more opportunities in the passing game. Moving on from Smith would save Pittsburgh roughly $7 million, making him a priority cut candidate in the 2026 offseason. Smith underperformed significantly and did not come close to justifying the investment the Steelers made after acquiring him via trade.

The former Steelers regime clearly liked getting Washington involved, and when he was healthy, the impact was evident. The obvious concern is whether the massive tight end’s knees and overall physical health will limit him from becoming a true focal point in the passing attack. Still, when used in critical moments, his bruising ability to punish defenses is something the Steelers would be wise to continue taking advantage of.

There is not much known yet about what McCarthy and Angelichio plan to do with Washington once he is fully recovered and back on the field. He has a promising upside and will see playing time because of what he brings as a blocker. 

Steelers Fans Find The Silver-Lining

However, insiders are speculating that his involvement in the passing game could decrease, as McCarthy prefers using three wide receivers and one tight end in his base lineup. The good news is that this approach could finally allow Freiermuth to be utilized the way many believe he should be.

When given the chance, for the most part, Freiermuth has produced. During the 2025 season, despite not getting the opportunities many felt he deserved, he never cried or complained. Instead, he remained a great teammate and still came up big when it mattered most. Now, with McCarthy in charge, there is hope that Freiermuth may finally see the consistent targets many believe he has earned.

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