Metcalf Says Steelers Trying to Replicate Defense's Key Trait

The two biggest additions of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason came on opposite ends of the spring. In March, the Steelers traded for Seattle Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf. In June, they added his quarterback.

Aaron Rodgers doesn’t move the needle on Pittsburgh’s slim Super Bowl hopes, but he makes the Steelers better in the short term and amplifies Metcalf’s strengths.

Getting everyone on the same page will be one of the biggest tasks of the team’s summer, perhaps headlined by a trip to Malibu to visit Rodgers.

In the meantime, Pittsburgh is practicing, and Mason Rudolph has received plenty of starting reps before Rodgers’ arrival. Reflecting on his offseason workouts with his new team, Metcalf said the Steelers’ offense is trying to replicate a key trait from the defense.

“The defense is great, just going against them after yesterday — high energy group, very communicative,” Metcalf said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I was joking with Calvin [Austin III] that for the first play out there, I couldn’t hear any of the checks that Mason [Rudolph] — or the snap count that Mason was saying, ’cause the defense was talking so much. It’s just refreshing to see a defense that communicates, and we’re just trying to model our game after them.”

For fans who remember the slide the Steelers took down the stretch in 2024, Metcalf’s comments are curious. The back seven was consistently one step short in the back half of the season, a struggle that – from afar – seemed to be a symptom of poor communication.

However, there is reason to believe Pittsburgh improved on this front through the offseason. Much of the defense remains unchanged, granting the unit the privilege of continuity. One position the Steelers upgraded was at corner, swapping out Donte Jackson for Darius Slay, adding Super Bowl pedigree and over a decade of experience to the room.

On offense, Pittsburgh underwent more drastic changes, although its true talent level remains fairly similar. Last year’s leading passer, rusher, and receiver have all found new homes.

Metcalf and Rodgers will play the biggest roles in the 2025 offense, and it’s hard to imagine the unit flourishing without a strong rapport between the two. With Rodgers’ accuracy and Metcalf’s proclivity for stretching the field, fireworks could very well be in store.