The Pittsburgh Steelers arrived at training camp in Latrobe, PA on Tuesday and the group will have their first public practice of the year on Wednesday. It is an exciting time of year, and this is new head coach Mike McCarthy's first training camp with the Steelers in Latrobe. It is expected to be much different from the way that Mike Tomlin ran things, which could be a good thing for the team. There are a ton of new faces for the Steelers that are going to be trying to make a great first impression on the fans, while there are some players who are looking to get a good start on a bounce-back season in 2026. One of those players is wide receiver DK Metcalf.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' DK Metcalf celebrates after a big play during a win over the Miami Dolphins at home in 2025.
Metcalf had a decent year in 2025, but more was expected of him after the team dealt a second round pick for him during the 2025 offseason. He finished the year with 59 receptions, 850 yards, and six touchdowns. Those numbers aren't atrocious, but it is okay to say that more was expected of the Pro Bowl wide receiver. Part of his struggles in 2025 may have had something to do with connectivity issues with his quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and as issues continued, the star wideout seemed to just check out of some games.
Fans want to see Metcalf have a more productive season in 2026, and that should happen based on some of the roster moves made by the team. McCarthy also spoke about the wide receiver during his press conference on Tuesday, and he was excited about his top wideout.
"I just think he's in a really good space," McCarthy said. "It's new for me to work with him. But, I've been very, very impressed with DK Metcalf from the first day that he showed up here. Especially in OTAs."
McCarthy seems to be a fan of Metcalf, which is good news when it comes to the play-maker's production for the 2026 season. The head coach will be calling the offense for the Steelers, and having him believe in the top wide receiver is important. A bounce-back season should be in the works for the two-time Pro Bowler.
There were some games in 2025 where Metcalf seemed to be completely erased from the game plan. He would see a target for a couple of quarters, and the opposing defense basically just eliminated him from being a factor. This was due to the lack of weapons on the offense in Pittsburgh, but that shouldn't be a problem in 2026. The Steelers added Michael Pittman Jr. via trade, and the organization also moved up in the second-round of the 2026 NFL Draft to select Germie Bernard. Those are two dangerous weapons that can take some of the defensive attention off of Metcalf.
Steelers Should See A Better Connection Between Aaron Rodgers And DK Metcalf In 2026
Another great result of having more weapons on the offense is that the windows to complete passes to Metcalf should be bigger. There were times in 2025 where Rodgers seemed to have no choice but to try and force the ball to his wide receiver, regardless of what the coverage looked like. This time around, Rodgers should have more options, and the defense won't be able to have multiple defenders glued to Metcalf like they were in 2025. He shouldn't be erased from games for entire quarters at a time, which will lead to a more efficient and explosive offensive attack.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Aaron Rodgers throws to DK Metcalf during a win over the Cleveland Browns during the 2025 season.
Metcalf should be able to crack 1,000 receiving yards for Pittsburgh in 2026, which would be the first time that has happened for the Steelers since the 2023 season. It won't be easy, but he is set up to do so. It would also help if he did his best not to get suspended for two games like he did near the end of the 2025 season.
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