The Pittsburgh Steelers' offense left a lot to be desired in 2025, between a passing game that lacked firepower and an inconsistent run game. When the front office made a splash move and traded a second-round pick along with sixth and seventh-round pick swaps to the Seattle Seahawks for DK Metcalf, many believed that he would help the offense explode. Metcalf had a down year to his standards, and faced a two-game suspension for an altercation with a fan towards the end of the season.
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Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf celebrates during a home game in the 2025 NFL season.
As mentioned before, the offense felt stagnant at times. Metcalf's stats are not entirely based on his performance, as the team gave him little of a supporting cast around him, leaving the wideout to be double-covered a lot of the time. Metcalf is known for being a vertical threat, but the Steelers had nearly a month-long span without a deep ball completion. All of these factors stacked together prevented the star from really breaking out.
Metcalf will be one of the most important factors in reinvigorating the offense in 2026. With a new coaching staff, he's sure to shine. Pro Football Focus' Steve Palazzolo spoke on his Check the Mic podcast about how vital the receiver will be for Pittsburgh.
"I know how Aaron Rodgers wants to play. I know he wants to give his receivers opportunities to win one-on-one. The way that the offense was constructed last year, I don't think they were doing that with DK Metcalf... I think DK has to be the vertical threat that he was in Seattle, and if he is, it does change the fortunes of the Pittsburgh Steelers," Palazzolo said.
The Steelers' offense failed to use Metcalf in the way that could be his best. He needs those one-on-one opportunities; with his size and hands, he wins most of those battles. However, with the team lacking complementary weapons in 2025, Metcalf did not get many of those chances. The scheming limited those from happening a lot, too. This needs to change under the new coaching staff for the offense and Metcalf to reach their full potential.
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Steelers' DK Metcalf makes an athletic play while running with the ball against the Baltimore Ravens during the 2025 regular season.
With the Steelers brass making another big wide receiver trade for the second year in a row, acquiring Michael Pittman Jr., they've given Metcalf another star to work with. The two have varying skill sets, with Metcalf being the deep threat and Pittman playing a more intermediate and short route-running role. Not to mention, the front office drafted a receiver in the second round, the University of Alabama wideout Germie Bernard. Bernard has been turning heads throughout the Steelers' offseason activities, which will only help Metcalf get favorable matchups.
Pittsburgh's offense is set up well to be a passing threat with the additions at receiver, and with new head coach Mike McCarthy's West Coast offense, there's no doubt that the efficiency of the unit should be much better than the years prior.
Steelers Need Their Offense To Come Through
The Steelers as a collective relied heavily on the opposition to turn the ball over in 2025. The defense was ranked 27th in total defense, and if the unit doesn't improve, the team overall will suffer. The previous regime often relied on stout defense to bail them out in games, but if there are any signs of regression, then the offense needs to step up.
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Steelers' Patrick Queen and TJ Watt line up to make a play on defense during a home game in the 2025 season.
The offense is much more prepared to take on a more explosive role with the aforementioned additions and the new scheme. If Rodgers and company can prove that the passing game is on point, and the run game becomes consistent and complementary, then the team should be fine if the defense isn't up to snuff. There are a lot of questions, but on paper, this group is much more capable of putting up points than last year.
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