Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington has always been considered a bad, bad man, especially with the football in his hands.
They don’t make tight ends like him, standing 6-7 and weighing what he now confirms is 311 pounds. He’s a freak athlete, one who can jump out of the gym, clocked a 4.6 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, and can do anything asked of the position, both as a receiver and as a blocker.
Washington reminded the NFL just what he can do with the football in his hands Sunday.
In Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium, Washington went viral on a 31-yard catch and run, leaving a path of destruction in his wake. A violent stiff-arm to Bengals rookie linebacker Barrett Carter to bounce him off the turn, before running over safety Geno Stone and cornerback DJ Turner II along the sideline led to Washington winning the “Angry Runs” award from Good Morning Football’s Kyle Brandt.
That all occurred on a career day for Washington, who finished with four catches for 67 yards.
Appearing on the St. Brown Podcast with NFL wide receivers Amon-Ra and Equanimeous Brown on Wednesday, Washington recalled what was going through his mind on the highlight-reel play.
“I ended up having over top shallow, picking for DK [Metcalf], whatnot. But I ended up getting it. I’m like, ‘Oh, snap,'” Washington said, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “And when I caught it, I, I looked — from the peripheral I saw a linebacker — and I was just like, ‘Man, lemme just go back to my high school days, man,’ to give him a stiff-arm, you know? And I saw Geno Stone next. I thought about jumping and I was like, ‘Nah, he ain’t going low.; So I’m like, ‘I’m gonna just lower my shoulder.’
“Lower the shoulder, just continue on down the sideline and then DJ Turner just try to punch the ball out and I just finished the run.”
Facing a 1st and 10 late in the first half from their own 38-yard line, the Steelers called a simple mesh-route concept with Washington coming across the middle to create a pick for wide receiver DK Metcalf. The pick didn’t exactly work for Metcalf, but it created just a sliver of space for Washington in his route.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers put the ball right on him, and after that Washington went beast mode.
The Darnell Washington 31-yard rumble looks even more majestic on All-22. Just leaves destruction in his wake.
And look who one of the first players to get to him to celebrate is: Will Howard. #Steelers
Sideline loved the Angry Run. pic.twitter.com/NRFSpc2n5E
— Josh Carney (@ByJoshCarney) November 17, 2025
Carter was the first one to feel Washington’s wrath as the big tight end greeted him with a violent stiff-arm, sending Carter crashing to the turf. After that, Stone tried to knock Washington out of bounds with a shoulder, but the Steelers tight end ran right through it.
He capped it all with the hilarious moment with Turner, sending the Bengals cornerback flying through the air, igniting the home crowd and the Steelers’ sideline.
Washington was the shoo-in winner for Brandt’s “Angry Runs” scepter, which will be headed to the Steel City very soon, giving Washington a chance to celebrate and pose with it.
In recent weeks, Washington has become a much larger part of the Steelers’ offense. Rodgers has said when Washington is on the field the Steelers’ offense is much better, and that’s largely played out. He’s become more involved in the passing game and was a huge factor Sunday.
Hopefully there is more of that coming. He’s a matchup nightmare for defenses, and the Steelers are finally starting to tap into it. With more opportunity, there will probably be more viral moments starring Washington with the ball in his hands.
Good luck, NFL linebackers and defensive backs.
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