The Pittsburgh Steelers made a conscious decision to trade for DK Metcalf in the 2025 offseason. The idea was that he would become the surefire top option in a passing game that had struggled ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired. This was especially the case after the front office traded George Pickens just a couple of months after the acquisition. So far, the veteran pass-catcher has been good, but not great. In the modern NFL, any wide receiver getting paid $30 million or more on an annual basis needs to be dominant week in and week out without any questions surrounding him.
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Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf runs on the field at the UPMC Sports Complex as the team practices during 2025 Organized Team Activities (OTAs) in Pittsburgh, PA.
The Steelers watched Pickens have a career year with the Dallas Cowboys in 2025, only for Metcalf to fail to reach even 900 receiving yards. It's fair to say that Omar Khan is going to continue to get criticism for the decision unless the Steelers' playmaker finds a way to turn it around moving forward. In Week 1 of the 2026 campaign, he had several drops and was also flagged for pass interference.
The wideout hauled in four passes that went for 40 yards. However, the more staggering part about the performance was that he had 10 targets. Pittsburgh was trying to force-feed him the ball, and he couldn't quite get it done. That will have to change if the offense wants a chance at being much more dynamic moving forward. There are some theories floating around about why Metcalf looked out of sorts on Sunday.
Roethlisberger knows all about throwing the pigskin to top-tier pass-catchers. He shared the field with some great ones throughout the course of his career. On a recent episode of his podcast, Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, the retired quarterback had some thoughts as to why Metcalf could have come out of the gate a little shaky. Some of the blame might have to be put on Head Coach Mike McCarthy.
"DK, the drops. As a receiver especially, that's got to just like, chap ya," Roethlisberger said while talking to former wide receiver Santonio Holmes. "And, two [offensive pass interference penalties]. That's a lot. How much of that — the argument is going to be how much of that is lack of preseason reps, right? No preseason games. No preseason reps."
Metcalf was sidelined for a good bit of training camp due to an injury, but no one has ever confirmed if he was healthy enough to play during the exhibition matchups. He had experience with Aaron Rodgers from 2025, so it may not have been viewed as imperative to get him out there. However, Roethlisberger believes that was evident when watching the game on Sunday. It's important to keep guys healthy, but it's also paramount that top weapons are ready to go when it matters most.
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Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf stands off to the side and looks into the distance while the team goes through a workout during a 2026 training camp practice at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
No one should be hitting the panic button just yet when it comes to Metcalf. He has more weapons around him in 2026 with guys like Michael Pittman Jr. roaming the field. The most pivotal part of this will be a bounce-back performance in Week 2. The New England Patriots have one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, and Christian Gonzalez will be ready to try and shut down the Steelers' top guy.
Roethlisberger's remarks shouldn't go unnoticed, however. He played 18 years at the professional level and knows hesitation when he sees it. Metcalf was nowhere near as effective as he should have been against the Atlanta Falcons. One would hope that the next time he gets 10 targets, he is hauling in at least six or seven of them. He had only two games with over 100 yards during his first season with Pittsburgh, which is another thing that has to be corrected.
Steelers Traded For Pittman So Metcalf Could Shine
Something that Pittsburgh lacked in 2025 was a legitimate second option behind Metcalf. If the defense has to take its attention off of just one guy, then there should be more opportunities, in theory. The Steelers should continue to get both veterans involved so that the duo can shine. With that said, McCarthy could face backlash for his approach with the two in August if things go south.
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