Steelers Now
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Steelers had an abysmal passing attack in 2024, the first year under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
They finished 27th in league with 3,264 passing yards. They were also 27th in completion percentage, and despite being 29th in attempts, had the 10th-most sacks. About the only thing the Steelers were good at last year when it came to the passing game was not turning the ball over. They tied for third in interception rate.
Smith has always been known as an offensive coordinator who prioritized the run, and the Steelers didn’t have an over-abundance of passing game talent, so many weren’t terribly surprised by their struggles in moving the ball through the air.
This year looked largely like it was shaping up to be more of the same. The Steelers entered 2025 with a 41-year-old quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, a pair of inexperienced tackles without of a track record of being able to protect any quarterback, let alone a 21-year vet, and just one impact wide receiver in DK Metcalf.
On Saturday in the preseason-opening win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, they were missing the most impactful of their limited passing-game weapons. Rodgers was held out. Metcalf was held out. Tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith were held out. So was top receiving back Jaylen Warren. Calvin Austin III is injured.
The Steelers faced the Jaguars without the players that are likely to be their top five in targets this season, plus their starting quarterback. Meanwhile, the Jaguars sent their entire starting defense out to do battle in Week 1 of the preseason.
Despite all of that, the Steelers came out firing on Saturday night at EverBank Stadium — and completed pass after pass.
Rudolph started the game with a 19-yard completion to Roman Wilson, a player emblematic of the team’s 2024 passing struggles. Wilson spent the entire 2024 season on the shelf with a trio of injuries. On the first play of the game, he torched Jaguars starting cornerback Tyson Campbell.
“It was just a real blessing to be able to start the game off like that,” Wilson said. “Just a nice little in cut. It was nothing crazy. It was just a nice little dig.”
Getting Wilson involved early after his lost season made sense. He had two catches on that opening Steelers drive. But he wasn’t the only one. Rudolph found Ben Skowronek, Robert Woods and Scotty Miller on the opening drive, as well, all before connecting with Darnell Washington on a 19-yard touchdown.
Most of the damage was done over the middle of the field, an area that 2024 quarterback Russell Wilson avoided like the plague. But Smith’s offense always operates best when attacking that area of the field, and Rudolph and the Steelers’ backups knew right where to attack the Jacksonville starters.
“I just had a simple seam route,” Washington said. “They went one (safety) high, Cover 3. So, I just kept it down the seam and Mason found me.”
It’s...
