After a breakout season in 2025 as a blocker and receiver under former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, there were some questions surrounding Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington regarding his fit within new head coach Mike McCarthy’s scheme.
He’s not a true move TE, one who is a good route runner or an overly dynamic athlete for the position like McCarthy has had during his Green Bay and Dallas tenures. Washington is more of that old-school, in-line tight end, and a very good one, too.
Yet those questions went away Wednesday as the Steelers locked up Washington long-term on a four-year, $42 million deal with $21 million guaranteed, keeping him in the Steel City for the foreseeable future.
“There’s no one like Darnell Washington in the NFL. He is built like a tackle. He can catch the ball like a wide receiver. He can run over a guy like a running back,” ESPN Steelers beat writer Brooke Pryor said, according to video via NFL Live on X. “And so to get him for 42 million, 21 guaranteed, he’s gonna be a big piece of Mike McCarthy’s offense. He doesn’t just have to be a red-zone target.
“He can also be a blocking tight end; he could do a little bit of everything.”
There is indeed nobody like Washington in the NFL. He was a unicorn coming out of Georgia due to his size (6070, 270), speed (4.64 40), and more. It took awhile for that to come together in the NFL, but last season he took a significant step forward and became a dependable dual-threat tight end.
Washington played 546 snaps in 2025 and finished with 31 receptions for 364 yards and one touchdown. He had some viral moments, too, like his catch and run against the Cincinnati Bengals that earned him an “Angry Runs” scepter from Good Morning Football’s Kyle Brandt.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers spoke highly of Washington throughout the season, too, stating the Steelers were a much different — and better — offense with Washington on the field.
Now, with McCarthy in charge, the Steelers have two highly paid tight ends and need to find a way to utilize both from a snaps and targets perspective. If McCarthy can figure it out and find that balance between 11 and 12 personnel, the Steelers offense could be a real problem for opposing defenses.
Washington will be at the heart of it.
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