Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington revealed at OTAs on Tuesday that he dropped some weight heading into Year 3. Washington feels like he’s in phenomenal shape.
“Yeah, I dropped about 10 to 15 pounds,” Washington said. “I feel a lot better. I just thought it was something I needed to see happen.”
Washington was dominate in the run game as a blocker last season. That was his M.O. coming out of Georgia in 2023. Mike Tomlin said during his post-draft press conference that Washington probably had ‘sixth offensive lineman’ on his license plate.
Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith raved about the trajectory of Washington in September of last year. Smith loves to utilize tight ends, and that was displayed in Week 2 against Denver when Washington scored his first career touchdown on fade pattern in the red zone. Justin Fields put the ball right where it needed to be, and Broncos safety P.J. Locke had no chance against the 6-foot-7 Washington.
“I’ve never had a tight end like Darnell with that size and athletic ability,” Smith said. “He’s such a unique player. He’s had some really dominant blocks. It’s exciting as a coach. The sky is the limit for him.”
The shredded weight could help Washington improve his game in the route-running department.
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Darnell Washington dominance. pic.twitter.com/9zUjgIqcgm
— Derrick (@Steelers_DB) June 3, 2025
Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph has also noticed Washington’s change in stature.
“I mean, he looks great,” Rudolph said. “He looks like a different player.”
After showing signs of improvement in 2024, Year 3 could be a breakout season for the third-year tight end out of Georgia.
Alan Saunders and Brendan Howe provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers TE Darnell Washington Makes Massive Change Heading into Year 3
