After he was assigned No. 42 shortly after being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, return specialist and wide receiver Kaden Wetjen vowed to make a change.
“Don’t worry folks, we will have a new number for the szn Fs [for sure],” Wetjen wrote in an Instagram story.
Turns out, he already has that new number.
Wetjen, who wore No. 21 in college for the Iowa Hawkeyes, has switched to No. 10. Responding to a comment on his Instagram page, he stated that he has changed numbers.
Wide receiver Roman Wilson wore No. 10 for the Steelers the last two seasons, but he has since switched to No. 14, getting back to wearing the number he had a lot of success in during his collegiate career at Michigan.
The move to No. 10 is much better for Wetjen, as the No. 42 just didn’t look right for the return specialist and wide receiver. Prior to No. 42 being assigned to Wetjen, former cornerback James Pierre wore the number for a few seasons before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason in free agency.
That number is now open again as Wetjen now dons digits that better fit his position and skill set.
However, it does start to make the comparisons of Wetjen to former Steelers receiver Ryan Switzer all the more apt. Switzer wore No. 10 for the Steelers for two seasons and had a 36-catch campaign in 2018, establishing strong chemistry with former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger that season.
Switzer also returned 39 punts and 38 kickoffs during his two seasons with the Steelers, but never did much with the ball in his hands, managing 7.4 yards per punt return and just 19.8 yards per kick return. That was on top of the 6.4 yards per reception he had in the Steel City.
Wetjen profiles as a much more explosive weapon. He led the country in kick and punt returns for touchdowns the last two seasons while winning the Jet Award in back-to-back years, becoming the first player in college football to do so. He’s limited as a receiver though, having hauled in just 21 passes in his final season with the Hawkeyes.
But at least he’ll be in a much better jersey number in his rookie season as he aims to carve out a role in the Black and Gold.
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