Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. pulls in a ball during training camp at Saint Vincent College, Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Latrobe.
Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. pulls in a ball during training camp at Saint Vincent College, Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Latrobe.
Michael Pittman Jr. didn’t even want to count the number of quarterbacks he played with in six years with the Indianapolis Colts.
During his time there, he actually played with three who were at least 39 years old — Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. Rivers was 44 last season when he came out of retirement and returned for a second stint with the Colts.
But here in Pittsburgh, Pittman quickly discovered he has not seen any quarterback as smart as Aaron Rodgers, who is 42 and in his 22nd NFL season.
“I always thought I knew football — until I met Aaron,” Pittman said.
[Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson, left, is learning a lot from Patrick Queen.
Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson, left, is learning a lot from Patrick Queen.](https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2026/08/07/payton-wilson-queen-trainingcamp-linebackers/stories/202608070009)
And he says Rodgers can still spin the ball, too.
Pittman was the prize addition of the Steelers’ offseason. They traded for the former second-round draft pick to pair him with DK Metcalf and give Rodgers another big-time target.
Pittman’s arrival has not changed how much Rodgers looks to Metcalf at training camp. Their relationship hasn’t changed at all.
As for Pittman’s first practices at Saint Vincent College, there were times when it wasn’t even apparent that Pittman was on the field.
But it’s only training camp and it could change once the Steelers get to the regular season. That won’t necessarily be a bad thing.
“If teams double team him, Aaron can throw it to me,” Pittman said. “If teams double team me, he can throw it to DK.”
That was a problem last season because the Steelers didn’t have a proven No. 2 receiver such as Pittman — who averaged 81 catches, 875 yards and four touchdowns per season with the Colts.
[Steelers offensive tackle Max Iheanachor stands on the sideline during training camp at Saint Vincent College, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Latrobe.
Steelers offensive tackle Max Iheanachor stands on the sideline during training camp at Saint Vincent College, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Latrobe.](https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2026/08/07/iheanachor-trainingcamp-echols-injury/stories/202608070054)
Defenses would focus on double teaming Metcalf, forcing Rodgers to try to jam the ball to Metcalf or merely throw it away.
That will not be the case anymore. Metcalf (who is 6 feet 4, 225 pounds) and Pittman (6 feet 4, 223 pounds) can be a productive and physically imposing combination at receiver.
The Steelers also used their second-round pick in the 2026 draft on Alabama’s Germie Bernard and are hoping what they have seen from Roman Wilson in camp carries into the season.
Rodgers has not been afraid to target Wilson and has remarked several times — unsolicited — about the potential and skill level of the 5-foot-10, 186-pound receiver.
“I think our offense can be special,” Pittman said. “I don’t want to give away any secrets, but I really like how diverse our offense can be.”
Wilson, a third-round pick in 2023 who missed his entire rookie season, appears to be benefitting from Pittman’s arrival.
“He’s a big, strong, fast guy who has a lot of experience,” Wilson said of Pittman. “He’s someone I can learn from, someone that makes plays. He’s a great teammate, a great friend.”
Pittman brings an added dimension to the offense beyond his receiving prowess. Because of his size, he is also a physical blocker in the run game.
“I think that every guy has a certain trait that makes him him,” Pittman said. “And I feel like me, I can run, but my superpower is my physicality, my catching in traffic and stuff like that.”
For the record, Pittman played with 10 different quarterbacks with the Colts.
“Everybody’s different and everybody likes different things,” Pittman said. “You’ve got to learn each one individually. But I definitely think it helps that I’ve had so many quarterbacks.”
First Published: August 7, 2026, 1:08 p.m.
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