Calvin Austin III Sheds Light On First Interaction With Aaron Rodgers

The Pittsburgh Steelers offense is going to look quite different in 2025, thanks in large part to the arrival of Aaron Rodgers as the team’s new quarterback. One thing that may not change, though, is Calvin Austin III’s involvement in the offense, as he is expected to be a key piece of their passing attack.

Austin emerged as a big-play threat for the Steelers as the 2024 season went on, and he ended up finishing the year with 36 catches for 548 yards and four touchdowns. While the speedy pass catcher managed to get on the same page with Russell Wilson last year, he will have to now work on getting comfortable with Rodgers.

While he’s undersized at 5-foot-9, Austin’s speed has helped him become a key piece of Pittsburgh’s offense. However, Austin believes there’s more to his game than his blazing speed, so it likely made him quite happy that Rodgers was quick to point out an element of his play that may go a bit more under the radar.

“The first time I met him, one of the first things he said was about my speed,” Austin said on Action News 5 in Memphis. “Obviously, that’s my main thing. It’s something that got me to the point I’m at today.

“But one of the other things he was talking about was me going over the middle to make those tough catches. That was something that I really worked on last year and wanted to show that I’m not just a straight down-the-field speed guy.”

There’s no doubt that DK Metcalf is going to be Rodgers’ top target in the passing game, but Pittsburgh is still looking for a true No. 2 option to emerge behind him at wide receiver. Austin was that guy last season when playing alongside George Pickens, and he will look to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke.

The Steelers also have Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith at tight end and Jaylen Warren at running back, so they have no shortage of options on offense. Austin, however, may be the key to determining just how successful this unit is next season, which makes his developing relationship with Rodgers worth keeping tabs on as training camp draws near.

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