DK Metcalf gets a clean shot at turning his Pittsburgh start around on Sunday, and the matchup could hardly line up better. The Steelers are staring at the Cincinnati Bengals, a division rival still unbeaten, and Mike McCarthy’s offense needs a spark badly if it wants to make the most of the opportunity.
That spark has to come from Metcalf. Pittsburgh signed him to a four-year, $132 million deal last March, paying for a receiver who was supposed to lift the passing game.
Instead, the early returns have been thin. Metcalf finished 2025 ranked 28th in receiving yards with 850 and tied for 26th in touchdown catches with six, a line that fell short of what the Steelers were clearly expecting from one of the league’s top-paid wideouts.
The frustration has only grown this season. Metcalf leads the NFL in dropped passes with three, and through two games he has been targeted 18 times, caught eight balls and totaled 67 yards.
Pro Football Focus has him at a 52.0 grade. For a player brought in to be a difference-maker, that’s not the kind of start Pittsburgh had in mind.
Still, the timing is right for a reset. Cincinnati’s secondary has been giving quarterbacks room to work, allowing 284.5 passing yards per game after two weeks. The Bengals also rank 27th in first downs allowed through the air and have yet to record an interception this season.
That opens the door for Metcalf to change the conversation quickly. Pittsburgh’s offense has been underwhelming across the board, ranking 29th in rushing at 74.5 yards per game and 22nd in passing at 204 yards per game, according to NFL.com. For a team that hired McCarthy for his offensive background, that’s a rough place to be.
Sunday gives Metcalf a real chance to quiet the noise and give the Steelers something they haven’t had enough of yet: a receiver performance that actually looks like the investment. He has not had a breakout game in black and yellow. Week 3 offers the best opening yet.
In Other News...
Steelers Suddenly Have A QB Trade Chip Worth Watching
The Steelers suddenly have a quarterback situation worth monitoring as Will Howard emerges as a name that could appeal to the Giants. New Yorks need for depth has grown after the injury to Jaxson Dart, and Howards profile is easy to understand from afar. He won at the college level and arrived in the NFL with some intrigue, even if the transition has brought its share of early challenges.
For Pittsburgh, the idea of moving Howard is less about giving up on a player than about weighing roster value and timing. For the Giants, it would be a chance to add another arm to a room that could use it. Nothing official is in place, but the possibility alone gives the Steelers another subplot to track as they continue sorting out their quarterback room. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Rodgers Just Reignited The Steelers Aaron Rodgers Debate
Jordan Rodgers stepped onto ESPNs First Take and did what brothers often do when the spotlight turns harsh: he went to bat for Aaron Rodgers. With the Steelers coming off a Week 2 loss to the New England Patriots, Jordan pointed to the throws Aaron did make and argued that the quarterbacks night was shaped as much by drops and missed calls as anything else. It was a familiar kind of defense, but one that landed with extra weight because Aaron is now in his second season in Pittsburgh.
The timing only sharpened the conversation around the Steelers offense, especially with the Rodgers family relationship back in the public eye after years of estrangement. Jordan and Aaron have recently reconciled, and now the debate around Aarons play is being filtered through that renewed bond. For Pittsburgh, it adds another layer to an already watched quarterback situation, with outside voices quick to either excuse the loss or use it as another reminder that the offense still has questions to answer. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Backfield Plan Just Got More Interesting For Bengals Game
A week after shuffling bodies in the backfield, the Steelers added another layer to their running back situation ahead of their Week 3 matchup with the Bengals. Pittsburgh elevated Lew Nichols from the practice squad on Saturday because of Rico Dowdles toe injury, a move that comes after Travis Homer was already elevated and then signed to the 53-man roster when Gennings Dunker landed on injured reserve.
Doneiko Slaughter was also brought up again, marking his third elevation and using up his practice squad call-up limit. For a team trying to keep its roster flexible this early in the season, the additions suggest Pittsburgh is still sorting out who will be available and how it wants to manage depth heading into a division game that could demand more from the backfield than originally expected. [Read more 🡒]