The Pittsburgh Steelers' wide receiver room looked very solid on paper before this season started. Through two games, this unit has been one of the biggest weaknesses of the team. Star wide receiver DK Metcalf has struggled tremendously and the rest of the group has not done much to pick up the slack. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has had virtually no help, which has resulted in an ugly offensive output. To make things worse, the newest wide receiver in the Steel City, Michael Pittman Jr., is dealing with an injury that kept him out for Week 2 and could last longer.
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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) runs after a catch during the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Acrisure Stadium.
Pittman Jr. had an impressive debut in the Black and Gold during the Steelers' Week 1 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. He ended the contest with 3 receptions for 58 receiving yards, averaging 19.3 yards per catch. While the numbers were not jaw-dropping, he looked sharp and acted as a safety valve for Rodgers. His presence was definitely felt by the offense and his absence was very apparent during the Steelers' ugly Week 2 loss to the New England Patriots.
Pittman Jr. dealt with a foot injury during the majority of the preseason and training camp which resulted in him missing all of Pittsburgh's preseason games. It seemed as though he was able to shake off the rust before Week 1, which gave the Steelers' offense a huge boost. Pittman Jr.'s absence in Week 2 may have hurt the offense more than predicted, as Pittsburgh totaled a measly 3 total points. The rest of the pass catchers did not have good performances and Rodgers was not able to get in a groove in the slightest.
The bad news is that it seems likely Pittman Jr. will miss more than just one week. In the most recent McCarthy Monday press conference, new head coach Mike McCarthy was asked about the status of his new wide receiver.
"It is a different injury [than the foot injury he dealt with previously]. He is making progress," McCarthy noted. He is currently in the evaluation group. Hopefully we will have a good plan for him, but I don't have a feel on if he is going to be available this week."
This is concerning news for the Steelers, as the schedule only gets tougher from here. Pittsburgh needs as many offensive weapons they can get, as the offense has looked like one of the worst units in the entire league through two weeks.
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Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Troy Fautanu (76) defends quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) from New England Patriots linebacker Elijah Ponder (91) during the second half at Gillette Stadium.
Pittman Jr. might not put up monster numbers or make flashy plays, but he is a very reliable, consistent target for Rodgers, which is just what he needs currently. Pittsburgh's offense could be in for even more trouble if Pittman Jr. cannot get back on the field soon.
Steelers Could Have A Savior In The Form Of A Rookie
While Pittsburgh's Week 2 defeat was very ugly and there were not many positives to take from the performance, rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard showed some flashes. During the second quarter, Bernard caught 4 passes on 8 targets for 35 yards, highlighted by a third-down catch that went for a 19-yard gain. Bernard was rather quiet the rest of the game, but this strong drive surely gave Rodgers confidence that he can look Bernard's way in the upcoming weeks when nothing else is working. Bernard will need to be able to provide this level of play if Pittsburgh wants any offensive production while Pittman Jr. is hurt and Metcalf is dealing with his own struggles.
Pittsburgh drafted Bernard 47th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft and the hope was that he would make an immediate impact on the offense during his rookie season. So far, this looks to be the case. It will be interesting to see how the Steelers' pass catchers perform against an improved Cincinnati Bengals defense in Week 3.
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