The Steelers look to be getting the outcome they were hoping for with DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr.
Both receivers are expected to be available for Pittsburgh’s Week 1 game against the Atlanta Falcons, according to Nick Farabaugh of PennLive. That’s a welcome update after the two veterans have missed about a week and a half because of injuries.
Metcalf is working through an undisclosed injury, while Pittman has been dealing with a minor hamstring issue. Neither situation has been described as a long-term concern, and both players are anticipating that they’ll be ready when the regular season opens Sept. 13.
That matters for a Steelers offense that is entering its second year with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and has a much different look at receiver. Pittsburgh added Pittman this offseason to join Metcalf, and the team also used a second-round pick on Alabama wideout Germie Bernard.
The Steelers have taken a careful approach with both veterans during the preseason. Head coach Mike McCarthy said neither Metcalf nor Pittman was expected to practice this week, which makes it likely they’ll sit out Friday’s preseason game against the New York Jets.
That does cut into Rodgers’ chance to build more timing with his new receiving group, but the larger focus is clearly on making sure both players are ready when the games start to count.
There have been some positive signs elsewhere in the receiver room, too. Bernard, Roman Wilson and others have gotten extra reps while Metcalf and Pittman have been out, giving Pittsburgh a better look at its depth before the regular season.
For now, the Steelers’ main message is straightforward: if Metcalf and Pittman stay on track, Rodgers should have his projected top two receivers when the Falcons come to Acrisure Stadium.
In Other News...
Steelers Have A Joey Porter Jr. Decision Fans Can't Ignore
Joey Porter Jr. is still waiting on a long-term deal from Pittsburgh, and the wait has only added another layer to a situation the Steelers would probably prefer to have settled by now. The young cornerback is also on the Physically Unable to Perform List because of a back issue, which makes his standing one of the more closely watched items around the team as it moves through the offseason.
Interest from other NFL teams has already surfaced with Porter as a potential trade target, but a deal does not appear to be in the Steelers plans right now. If the two sides still do not have an agreement next offseason, Pittsburgh may have to consider using the franchise tag, keeping the conversation around Porter very much alive for another year. [Read more 🡒]
DK Metcalf Has Steelers Fans Doing A Double Take Again
DK Metcalfs first year in Pittsburgh gave the Steelers plenty to think about after they sent a 2025 second-round pick to Seattle to bring him in. He still finished as the team leader in receptions, yards and touchdowns, even with a two-game NFL suspension for conduct detrimental to the league after an incident involving a fan cutting into the back end of his season. When he came back for the Wild Card Round, he was part of the offense again, but the Steelers are clearly looking for more from him than just the outside threat he has long been known for.
Thats where the next wrinkle comes in. Pittsburghs coaching staff wants to move Metcalf around more and use him in the slot more often in the upcoming season, a shift that could change how defenses match up with him and how the passing game is built around him. For a player who already gave the offense its most productive season in those categories, the question now is whether the Steelers can turn that into something even bigger by giving him a different kind of role. [Read more 🡒]
DK Metcalfs New Steelers Look Has Fans Wondering Whats Next
DK Metcalfs first season in Pittsburgh has already taken a few turns, from the blockbuster trade that brought him over from Seattle in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick to the two-game suspension that ended his regular season early after an incident involving a fan. He did make it back for the Steelers playoff game, but the production was limited, leaving plenty of room for the conversation to shift from arrival hype to how the fit actually works moving forward.
Now the attention is on the next chapter under new head coach Mike McCarthy, who plans to use Metcalf more in the slot in 2026. It is a notable wrinkle for a receiver whose look and role already changed once when he landed in Pittsburgh, and it has fans wondering whether this will unlock something different or simply give the Steelers another way to get one of their biggest names involved. [Read more 🡒]