The Pittsburgh Steelers matchup with the New York Jets on Sunday begins their 2025 season. For fans and the coaching staff, it will be the first real look for a slew of newcomers to the Black & Gold, including star wide out DK Metcalf, who inked a $150-million contract with the Steelers this after being traded from the Seattle Seahawks.
With the departure of wideout George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, it makes Metcalf the clear top option for quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers passing game, and Tomlin is expecting dominance from the newest Steelers wideout right away.
“I expect him to be dominant,” Tomlin told host Bob Pompeani during his weekly Mike Tomlin Show via the team’s YouTube channel. “He is a matchup issue, one that we are intimately aware of. We competed against those guys rather recently. We played them late in the season out there in 2023 in a significant game. We know what he does to defenses. Not only defensive players, but defensive coaches in terms of being sensitive to the matchup component of him.
“A guy like him, their impact goes beyond their statistics. It is that matchup component. It is the opportunities that they provide others because of the things you have to do schematically to minimize him, particularly in situational moments.”
Tomlin mentioned Metcalf’s matchup versus Pittsburgh in 2023, an outing that saw Metcalf lead all Seahawks receivers in catches and yards, posting five receptions and 106 yards versus the Steelers defense. Last season was Metcalf’s first since 2021 that he did not surpass 1,000 receiving yards, falling just shy at 992 yards and 5 touchdowns. Although the production was not on par with previous seasons in overall yards, Metcalf posted his fourth season eclipsing 15 or more yards per catch. Big plays remained a regular part of his resume.
Metcalf will garner much of the attention from opposing defenses in the passing game, but Tomlin emphasized the other weapons in the offense that could open things up for Metcalf, including Calvin Austin III and tight ends Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth.
“Make no mistake, DK [Metcalf] is a major component of it and dictates a lot of schematics,” Tomlin said. “But they’re gonna be a committee of others based on circumstances and offensive personnel package that could fill the quote-unquote number two role.”
DK Metcalf gets his first opportunity to showcase his dominance as a Pittsburgh Steeler on Sunday. Facing star Jets’ CB Sauce Gardner, it won’t be easy. Gardner held Metcalf to just one catch for three yards on five targets in their first meeting in 2022, with Metcalf responding with four catches for 66 yards on nine targets in last seasons opener between the Jets and Seahawks.
Aaron Rodgers guides Metcalf and the Steelers new-look passing game versus the Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
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