Pittsburgh Steelers TE Darnell Washington might be the biggest unicorn you’ll ever see. He looks like a mammoth offensive tackle, but he’s equally adept at running routes as he is blocking in the run game. Heck, if you’re not paying attention, he’ll even hurdle you in the open field.
Darnell Washington with the stiff arm AND the hurdle!
📺: #PITvsIND on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/LPVP4kNlp3
— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024
In a league full of incredible athletes, Darnell Washington stands out in the crowd. For former Steelers TE Jonnu Smith, Washington stood out both as a person and as a football player.
Even in training camp, Smith was in awe.
“Darnell’s probably the biggest football player, biggest teammate I ever played with, man,” Smith said Friday during an interview with NFL insider Jordan Schultz. “I remember training camp, we came out in 12 personnel, and we were in the wing set. And he got in his stance, and I got in my stance, and I had never looked smaller on the field a day in my life. I was like, God, excuse my language, man, but I was like, ‘Damn, that’s a large human being…’
“We play the same position, and this dude is next to me, he’s making me look like a mouse. I’m not the largest football player, but I’m 6-3, 250 pounds.”
It’s one thing if a smaller player, like a wide receiver or slot corner, looks like they’re getting dwarfed. However, dwarfing a fellow tight end is impressive. Darnell Washington’s size definitely left quite the impression on Jonnu Smith.
However, size alone doesn’t make for a good NFL player. There have been plenty of big athletes who never amounted to anything in the league. It takes a lot more than just physical ability to have a long NFL career. So, what does Jonnu Smith think the future holds for Darnell Washington?
“He loves the game and comes in, works hard, listens, very coachable,” Smith said. “He’s got a bright future ahead of him for sure… What he does and his skill set, there’s not really a comp out there. There’s really nobody you can compare him to. And I think he’s in a league of his own. And that’s what’s so special.”
The NFL used to be full of mammoth blocking tight ends. Darnell Washington certainly fits into that paradigm. He’s like another offensive tackle out there in the run game. Heck, analyst Daniel Jeremiah thought last season that Washington would have been the Steelers’ best offensive tackle had the team played him there.
However, that sort of move would severely limit Washington’s impact on the Steelers. In 2025, he had his best season receiving with 31 receptions for 364 yards and one touchdown. Those aren’t massive numbers, yes. But he made impact plays, as Smith said. Just watch this play against the Cincinnati Bengals. He took a 5-yard crossing route and turned it into a viral moment.
DARNELL WASHINGTON OH MY GLORIOUS STIFF ARM.
CINvsPIT on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/vpn6NVgaFU
— NFL (@NFL) November 16, 2025
Yeah. How many NFL tight ends can do that?
So, what does this mean for Darnell Washington and the 2026 season? We don’t know, honestly. Not long after the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy as their head coach, beat writer Ray Fittipaldo questioned what sort of role Washington would have. McCarthy historically doesn’t utilize two tight ends. We can assume that TE Pat Freiermuth will have a good-sized role in the passing game and should be the team’s starting tight end.
However, McCarthy and the Steelers should find a way to get Darnell Washington on the field. As Jonnu Smith said, there’s no good comparison for him. The Steelers are a better team if they can figure out how best to utilize Washington.
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