The Pittsburgh Steelers made two of the offseason’s most talked-about decisions: they signed future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers to a one-year contract and offered DK Metcalf a huge $132 million deal. But these actions aren’t quiet or background chess moves, they are attention-stealing headline grabs that scream ‘Super Bowl or bust.‘ Particularly, Metcalf’s arrival attracted attention. Pittsburgh hardly ever pursues high-profile wide receivers, much less ones built like defensive ends. But guess what? They did well. How?
Well, we all know that George Pickens has already packed his bags and gone to Dallas. This compelled the team to view Metcalf as the perfect WR1 for Aaron Rodgers. And why wouldn’t they? The organization has spent a huge amount of money on him. So, with that, the Steelers’ offense is entering a new era. And early results from the Steelers camp indicate that the investment may be well worth every penny.
One of the most respected voices in the Steelers locker room, Pat Freiermuth, went out of his way to put DK Metcalf’s work ethic on full blast. In a reel posted by Not Just Football, Cam Heyward asked about the experience of having DK in the building. “DK is gonna have a massive year,” the captain said. In addition, Freiermuth, too, provided viewers a behind-the-scenes look while complimenting him. “Yeah, DK’s been great. It’s cool to watch him work. Obviously, you know, seeing his plays and stuff from afar on social media and stuff, but seeing him work every day in practice, you can see why he, you know, is paid that much and makes all those plays because he really is detailed on his work,” said Freiermuth. The caption of the reel? “DK could be in for a monster season ” No lies detected.
And if you’re wondering whether spending so much money is justified, the answer is definitely yes! DK Metcalf is a human cheat code and not just a wide receiver. He is 6-foot-4, with the build of a linebacker but the speed of a sprinter. He still holds the record for the quickest 40-yard dash by a player who weighs over 225 pounds, with a time of 4.33 seconds at the 2019 NFL Combine. When you combine that with a 40.5-inch vertical leap, defensive backs face an impossible matchup because he is too powerful for corners and too quick for safeties. He is a rare asset due to his physique and agility alone, but the output is what actually justifies the contract.
DK Metcalf has never fallen short of 900 receiving yards in six NFL seasons, including three seasons with 1,000+ yards and two Pro Bowl selections. Even in 2024, when the Seahawks’ offense faltered, Metcalf averaged 15 yards per reception and amassed almost 1,000 yards and five touchdowns in just 15 games. So, when Pittsburgh saw this, they seized the opportunity to combine a seasoned quarterback like Rodgers with that type of field-stretching weapon.
How the Steelers are rebuilding their offense around Aaron Rodgers’ arm
Aaron Rodgers didn’t wait for the minicamps before contributing to the Steel City offense. He was already throwing passes with DK Metcalf at UCLA before the camps started. But when it comes to the OC Arthur Smith, there are more pieces that A-Rod needs to work around. That’s the challenge Smith faces, but he’s embracing it. “Obviously, we didn’t bring Aaron in here and sign DK for all that money to go run the wishbone. – You try to play to the strengths of your team,” Smith joked during a minicamp presser.
And Smith’s resume speaks for itself. In terms of rushing attempts, four of his previous six NFL offenses have placed in the top five. Pittsburgh hammered the rock 533 yards last year, which was fourth in the league. However, that was with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. Right now? He has DK Metcalf and Rodgers. The recipe just couldn’t get better.
Newly-signed quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers Aaron Rodgers 8 works out at the Steelers mini-camp on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 in Pittsburgh. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY PIT2025061020 ARCHIExCARPENTER
Smith’s coaching tree matches Mike Shanahan’s style. It’s all about wide-zone runs, intense play-action, and layered motion. But this is nothing new to Rodgers. He has spent the past few years in systems that are similar to that, from Matt LaFleur in Green Bay to Nathaniel Hackett in the Jets. And in Pittsburgh, he isn’t starting from scratch either. “The offense, it’s a lot of similar terms from the Shanahan offense,” Rodgers said. “There’s a couple new words and different things formationally, but I’ll have it figured out in a couple weeks, probably”
And obviously he will. Just last season, he attempted the second-most passes in the league with 584 attempts. But if you talk about speed, A-Rod wasn’t exactly Speedy Gonzales at the minicamps recently. And Arthur Smith is a big fan of the run game. So what does it mean for them to work together? Not a run-heavy offensive formation, but one that relies on A-Rod’s clutch passes and DK Metcalf’s speed routes. Something that we have already seen at work at the minicamps. So, when the season comes, we’ll know if that’s enough to cross the playoffs bridge and get to the Lombardi Trophy.
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