Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — If Calvin Austin III can’t go against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is ready to see the receivers behind him get their chances.
Austin wasn’t clear on his return timetable when speaking with the media on Monday, but Tomlin said Tuesday during his weekly press conference that he’s not closing their door on him being back this week. If not, Roman Wilson and Scotty Miller will be primed to fill his role.
“It’s not necessarily about pulling from people that aren’t here,” Tomlin said at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “It’s about the elevation of roles of guys like Roman Wilson and Scotty Miller, for example. I’m excited about watching those guys work and maybe getting some elevated participation. I think that’s one of the beautiful things of the journey that is the season. You’re gonna get faced with some challenges as a collective. One man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity.”
Tomlin gave Kenneth Gainwell’s performance against the Vikings as an example. Gainwell rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries during the 24-21 win.
“Case in point, Jaylen Warren wasn’t able to go in Dublin and I think a lot of people had an opportunity to appreciate Kenny Gainwell — something that we already appreciated, something that we’d been watching day-to-day during the course of team development. And so, hopefully, a week from now, if Calvin is unavailable, we’re saying the same things about some others.”
Tomlin chalked up Wilson’s limited reps to the way the offense has chosen its personnel groups, namely with multiple tight ends. Wilson, a third-round draft pick in 2024, had his first and only career NFL reception when the Steelers’ Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks was all but decided.
Alan Saunders contributed reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers’ Tomlin Reveals Calvin Austin III Replacement
