Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf during a game against the Detroit Lions on Dec. 22, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — DK Metcalf stood in front of a bevy of reporters in May at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
For the first two minutes, at least, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ star receiver wasn’t asked one question about himself. His quarterback from last year, future Pro Football Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, is back for a second season operating the team’s offense.
“Another year of chemistry,” Metcalf said.
Mike McCarthy climbed in the cockpit after now-former longtime head coach Mike Tomlin showed himself the door. McCarthy will call the plays and “it just excites me just having an offensive-minded head coach,” Metcalf said.
“I know they’re very detailed on the installations and everything that they do on offense,” Metcalf said. “Everybody’s on the same page route-wise, timing-wise, open form of communication all across the board, so that’s one big thing that I noticed.”
The Steelers have also remodeled some of the receiver room, swapping Michael Pittman Jr. and second-round draft pick Germie Bernard in for the mix of Calvin Austin III, Adam Thielen and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Metcalf complimented Bernard’s approach, saying, “He’s always willing to learn, never has anything smart to say. Always just says ‘yes sir’ and keeps it pushing. From a guy of his stature coming into the league like that, it’s all you can ask for.”
With the continuity behind center and a few new weapons dropped beside him, maybe the spotlight will be on Metcalf more when the rubber hits the road.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf in a game against the Detroit Lions on Dec. 21, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
4 • DK Metcalf, Receiver, Ole Miss
Acquired: The Steelers acquired DK Metcalf via a trade with the Seattle Seahawks last offseason. General manager Omar Khan gave up second- and seventh-round draft picks and also got a sixth-rounder in return. Metcalf soon put pen to paper on a five-year, $150 million contract extension that guaranteed $60 million.
Last season: DK Metcalf was targeted the fewest times during any of his seven NFL campaigns, seeing the ball come his way 99 times. His 59 receptions and 850 receiving yards were the second-fewest of his career, but he missed the final two games of the regular season after an incident with a fan during the Steelers’ Week 16 game on the road against the Detroit Lions.
Still, Metcalf topped the Steelers’ charts in receiving yards and touchdown grabs (six).
Career: DK Metcalf spent the first six seasons of his professional odyssey with the Seahawks, earning Pro Bowl nods in 2020 and 2023.
Metcalf pinned up a career-best 1,303 receiving yards in 2020, then caught a dozen touchdowns the following season. Until last season, Metcalf posted at least 100 targets and 900 receiving yards in every campaign of his career.
DK METCALF NFL STATS
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf at minicamp on June 12, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
SeasonTeamGamesReceptionsYardsTDsYards Per Game2019Seattle Seahawks1658900756.32020Seattle Seahawks16831,3031081.42021Seattle Seahawks17759671256.92022Seattle Seahawks17901,048661.62023Seattle Seahawks16661,114869.62024Seattle Seahawks1566992566.12025Pittsburgh Steelers1559850656.7
DK Metcalf College Career
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf speaks at a press conference about his contract signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, Thursday, March 13, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers)
DK Metcalf arrived at Ole Miss as a four-star recruit and the No. 17 wideout in the 2016 recruiting class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. He chose the Rebels over Auburn, Miami, Mississippi State, Oregon and UCLA, among others.
Metcalf was awarded a medical redshirt for his freshman season after breaking his foot two games in. He earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors in 2017, then ranked fourth in the SEC in touchdown grabs and third in receiving yards as a redshirt sophomore before suffering a season-ending neck injury with five games remaining. He entered that go-round on the Biletnikoff Award watch list.
DK METCALF COLLEGE STATS
SeasonTeamClassGamesReceptionsYardsTDsYards Per Game2016Ole MissFr.221326.52017Ole MissR. Fr.1239646753.82018Ole MissR. Soph.726569581.3
DK METCALF PRE-DRAFT TESTING
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein compared Metcalf to Josh Gordon after Metcalf posted a 4.33-second 40-yard dash, 40.5-inch vertical jump and 11-foot, 2-inch broad jump at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine. Metcalf also pumped out 27 reps on the bench press.
Metcalf scored a 9.66 Relative Athletic Score out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 77 out of 2242 wide receiver from 1987 to 2019.
DK Metcalf will make a base salary of $25 million this year. He has a $31 million cap hit.
ODDS AND ENDS
DK Metcalf tried his hand at moonlighting as a children’s book author this offseason.
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