Behind the Steel Curtain
The Pittsburgh Steelers officially began their 2025 season on Saturday with a 31-25 preseason victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. While most of the starters and veterans sat out this game, it was the first chance for some of the younger players who have flashed throughout training camp to showcase what they can do in a game setting.
But for one of the Steelers’ young playmakers, it wasn’t just about showing what he could do; it was the culmination of months of work that went on when nobody was watching.
Second-year wide receiver Roman Wilson tallied 2 catches for 24 yards on Saturday in limited playing time. It was some of the first action we have seen Wilson get in a game setting in the NFL. Wilson has been a standout throughout camp and someone who has a blossoming connection with Aaron Rodgers.
Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was asked on Monday if getting Wilson involved early in Saturday’s contest was intentional, and he did not hold back in praising the work that the young receiver has put in throughout the offseason. The entire press conference is available on the Post-Gazette Sports YouTube channel.
“I mean, obviously, nobody wants to go through that and not play your rookie year, but he handled it. You know, some guys, they just kind of go away and Roman behind the scenes has done a lot of work. It’s, you know, pretty sure the ball was going to go there, but you never know the coverage was different when we were going to Scotty and back, but that was intentional to get him going early and he deserves that and he’s rewarded. Uh, seen a lot of progress, so hopefully he continues.”
When Wilson was drafted 84th overall in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, he was expected to be an immediate contributor to an offense that needed help in the wide receiver room. However, Wilson’s rookie season never truly got off the ground. Wilson suffered a high-ankle sprain that caused him to miss the majority of training camp last season. After being a healthy scratch for the first month of the season, Wilson appeared in just one game for the Steelers before suffering a hamstring injury that landed him on season-ending injured reserve.
The work throughout the offseason and strong play in training camp gave Wilson the opportunity for a fresh start entering year two. With DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin III sitting out of the team’s first preseason game, Wilson used this opportunity to gain back the trust of his coaches, teammates, and fans. As long as he can stay healthy, Wilson has the golden opportunity to work himself into extended playing time with a quarterback whom he continues to earn the trust of.
