Steelers' DK Metcalf Has A Simple Answer To Pittsburgh's Red Zone Frustration

The Pittsburgh Steelers spent Sunday proving that moving the football and finishing a drive are two different skills. A long afternoon in Paris produced plenty of first downs, another victory and one touchdown. Now one of Pittsburgh's biggest offensive names has an idea for what should happen the next time the field starts running out. The suggestion is refreshingly uncomplicated, especially coming from someone who could reasonably ask for the ball himself.

DK Metcalf believes Darnell Washington should receive a legitimate chance to score whenever Pittsburgh reaches the red zone. The receiver made that case after Washington caught a four-yard touchdown from Aaron Rodgers in Sunday's 16-10 win over the New Orleans Saints. It was the Steelers' only trip to the end zone, and Metcalf had personally done much of the work getting them there.

The play developed after Rodgers found Metcalf for 51 yards on third-and-14, carrying Pittsburgh from its own 45 to the Saints' 4-yard line. On the ensuing scoring play, Washington lined up across from a much smaller cornerback and won a contested fade near the boundary. He secured the football through contact and kept both feet in bounds. It was a difficult catch made considerably more plausible by the man being asked to make it.

During his postgame interview, Metcalf was asked whether Washington should get more chances around the goal line. The veteran didn't hedge or lobby for those throws to come his way.

“Exactly yeah, I mean anytime we make it to the red zone, he should definitely get an opportunity to catch a touchdown no matter where he's at,” Metcalf said.

A receiver who just delivered the biggest gain on a touchdown drive has every reason to campaign for the finishing touch. Metcalf instead nominated the guy who spends much of his afternoon blocking. That says something about Washington's standing with his teammates, and more importantly, about a mismatch Pittsburgh can manufacture without needing a defender to fall down.

At 6-foot-7, Washington doesn't need acres of separation to become a scoring threat. His frame gives Rodgers a throwing window above smaller defenders, while his strength allows him to absorb contact without losing the ball. Sunday's cornerback was 5-foot-11. There are coverage techniques that can make that assignment difficult for a tight end, but no clever footwork is going to erase eight inches of height.

Of course, simply telling Rodgers to throw a jump ball every time would turn a good idea into a scouting report opponents could memorize. A defense can bracket Washington, disrupt his release or bring safety help over the top. The value comes from making the defense account for him and using that attention to open something else. A credible goal-line target can create space even on snaps when he never touches the ball.

Washington now has three touchdown catches in 2026, more than he managed across his first three NFL seasons combined. He has scored in consecutive games, and that recent production should change how opponents prepare for Pittsburgh near the goal line. He is no longer merely the extra blocker who might leak out on a surprise route. The Steelers have evidence that his size can produce points when defenses know a throw is possible.

There is a timely reason to listen to Metcalf. Pittsburgh managed 343 yards of offense and converted 10 of 16 third downs in Paris, but Chris Boswell still supplied nine of its 16 points through three field goals. Moving the chains is valuable; asking the kicker to finish so many promising possessions is a risky habit against better offenses. Sunday's defense made a six-point margin hold up. Pittsburgh cannot assume every opponent will be that cooperative.

Head coach Mike McCarthy has already talked about involving both Washington and Pat Freiermuth more frequently as receivers. His earlier plan for the tight ends gives Metcalf's comments additional context. A talented position group is available, and Sunday offered an especially convincing example of what happens when one of those players becomes a central option.

Freiermuth brings a different skill set, with route-running and the ability to find openings between defenders. Metcalf can punish a defense that commits too much attention inside, as his 51-yard reception demonstrated. Jaylen Warren also gave Pittsburgh 101 rushing yards against New Orleans. The pieces don't have to fight over one scoring opportunity; they should make the defense choose which threat to live with.

Steelers Should Make Washington A Priority Near The Goal Line

Metcalf is right, with one important qualification. Washington deserves to be part of the red-zone plan every week, but that doesn't require force-feeding him a contested throw regardless of coverage. Pittsburgh should make the defense explain how it intends to cover a 6-foot-7 target, then let Rodgers exploit whatever answer it gives. That's a more sustainable solution than waiting until a drive stalls before remembering the biggest eligible receiver on the field.

The most frustrating part is how obvious the opportunity looks after Sunday's catch. Washington isn't an untested prospect waiting for the staff to invent a role. He's a fourth-year player whose blocking has long justified snaps, and whose receiving production is now giving opponents an additional problem. Three touchdowns before November aren't a fluke to ignore when the offense repeatedly settles for three points.

Pittsburgh got out of Paris at 5-2 with a win, which is the result that counts. Metcalf's suggestion is worth carrying home anyway. If the Steelers are going to work that hard to reach the 4-yard line, they might as well give their enormous tight end another chance to finish the trip.

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