Darnell Washington’s size has always been part of the conversation in Pittsburgh, but this offseason it’s his weight that’s drawing the spotlight.
The Steelers tight end reportedly got up to 311 pounds as the 2025 NFL season unfolded, a number that pushed him into viral territory because it’s so unusual for an NFL tight end. Washington has long stood out as a massive presence - a punishing blocker and a tough tackle with the ball in his hands - but 311 pounds is a different kind of headline.
That number may not stick around for long. Washington said earlier this offseason on Cam Heyward’s podcast that the Steelers are putting weight goals and fines in place this year, and he knows he has work to do.
"Definitely with the new staff and these new weight fines this year, for sure gotta work on that," Washington said earlier this offseason on Cam Heyward's podcast. "And for sure gonna have to get down."
He also opened up about why the number climbed in the first place.
"I just think my body filled out more," Washington said. "I could be for sure wrong, but I love food.
Everybody got an addiction. Mine is video games and food.
So that's something I for sure gotta work on."
A social media post that made the rounds compared Washington at 264 pounds to the version of him listed at 311 pounds, and it only added to the buzz around how much his frame has changed. The post also noted there had been an offseason point when he was even listed at 330 pounds.
The Steelers don’t appear to be chasing a public target number for Washington, and that specific goal hasn’t been revealed. But the bigger point is clear: his size can still be an asset if it’s the right kind of weight.
For Pittsburgh, putting an agenda around Washington’s weight seems like a sensible step, and one that could help shape the rest of his career.
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