Steelers Learn Exactly What Kind Of Player Michael Pittman Jr. Is: "You're Going To Love That About Him"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have executed a low-risk, high-reward trade for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., and they also gave him a new contract to go along with his new jersey. For a projected WR2 with his age and experience, the contract and trade are not bad at all, and he gets a real chance to thrive in a system that works with his strengths. This could be an absolute home run of a move that aids Pittsburgh's offense for a good chunk of years. Even his name fits perfectly with the city. 

While making an appearance on 93.7 The Fan, Indianapolis Colts analyst Jeff Rickard explained exactly what kind of player the Steelers are getting in Pittman.

"That's kind of who [Pittman] is," Rickard said. "He's going to get you yards when you need a yard. He's going to find a way to get it for you, and that's kind of been his strength... he's not afraid to make a downfield block, he's not afraid to do what the team needs him to do, and like I said, he's going to scrap a safety or a corner for a 50/50 ball at the goal line, and you're going to love that about him."

While Pittman has been praised previously as a quality route runner, Rickard wanted to talk endlessly about how strong he is and how he's not afraid to use that however the team needs. With how he speaks about the veteran wideout, it sounds like he is the perfect embodiment of a Steelers receiver. If that is the case, then he is absolutely right about how much Steeler Nation will love him on the field. 

Pittman did not seem to be nearly as much of a fan favorite in Indianapolis as he is projected to be in Pittsburgh, especially since he was not consistently great. However, he did not have great quarterbacks during his time there, and he seems to be much more comfortable as a WR2 than the headliner of the receiver room. Him being just behind DK Metcalf will likely be great news for him in the long run. 

This will likely be a complementary relationship, where one receiver will take the heat off the other and allow him to go up and make great catches in one-on-one situations. The second the secondary shifts coverage to that wideout, the other can have a big game. If the opposing defense tries to double-team both of them, it turns into a 9-on-7 game, and the Steelers will certainly take advantage of that.

The Steelers have been desperate for any sort of consistent offense for years now, and it has forced the team to be unusually aggressive at the wide receiver position. Luckily, it did not take much aggression to land Pittman, as the trade compensation is very low. The offense should be vastly improved no matter who is playing quarterback in 2026 and beyond, as this unit keeps getting more and more dangerous.

Steelers Are Not Done Adding To Offense

Pittman will likely not be the only offensive weapon that the Steelers add. They are expected to use one of their top two picks on a receiver as well, and being in this receiver room should help the rookie grow and develop quickly. They will also likely sign another veteran in free agency to add depth to position group in case someone unfortunately goes down with injury. This offense could be loaded by training camp.

What do you think about Rickard praising Pittman's strength and abilities? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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