"He's Dangerous": Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Shares Honest Assessment Of Roman Wilson's Progress

The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering a new chapter in 2026 under the leadership of Mike McCarthy and new offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio. With a fresh coaching staff comes a fresh opportunity for many young players on the roster to carve out meaningful roles and become foundational pieces of the offense moving forward. One of the biggest names to watch heading into the season is Roman Wilson, who enters his third year looking to finally showcase the talent that made Pittsburgh select him in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

There was significant excitement surrounding Wilson when he arrived in Pittsburgh, with many believing his speed and playmaking ability could translate immediately at the NFL level. However, his path has been far from smooth. Wilson suffered an injury early during his rookie training camp, which limited his ability to get comfortable in the offense and slowed his development during a crucial period. 

Then, during the 2025 season, questions began to surface about his connection with quarterback Aaron Rodgers and whether the two were fully on the same page. While Rodgers never publicly criticized Wilson, his comments on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday provided insight into where the young receiver has grown. 

"Roman has grown a lot," Rodgers said. "I think he has done a nice job in the spring, and I think he has made some plays as well."

Rodgers acknowledged that Wilson has made significant progress, explaining that last season he was playing like a confused deer, but has now become a much more controlled and polished player while maintaining his elite speed. That development could be a major factor in determining how large of a role Wilson earns in the Steelers’ offense in 2026.

"To stick around in this league, you have to do something well," Rodgers said. "To have a long career, you have to have an excellent trait, and his is his exceptional speed. He's always one of the fastest guys on the field at all times, if not the fastest guy. When he's using that speed, he's dangerous. The thing is, last year, he was like a deer running around, bouncing around. Now he's like a very finely tuned fast guy. He's playing under control with that top-end speed. He's had a really nice spring and a nice start to camp."

The Steelers also made significant additions around Wilson, giving Rodgers more weapons and creating a better environment for young players to succeed. After DK Metcalf was often the only receiver capable of consistently creating fear for opposing defenses in 2025, Pittsburgh traded to get Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie receiver Germie Bernard to provide more balance. 

Steelers’ WR Room Still Depends On Wilson

If Wilson’s growth continues in a hurry, the Steelers could suddenly have a much deeper and more dangerous group of pass-catchers heading into the new era of Pittsburgh football. While Pittsburgh has done a nice job adding talent to the wide receiver room and giving Rodgers the weapons needed to succeed, there is still a need for reliable depth and players who can contribute at all three wide receiver positions.

That is exactly the type of player McCarthy was looking for when building this offense. Based on Rodgers’ comments, it appears Wilson has earned the trust and confidence of the veteran quarterback heading into 2026. Now, it will be up to Wilson to continue proving he can be a consistent piece of this revamped Steelers offense. The time is now for Wilson.

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