Should be all smiles for Washington in 2026
by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published June 9, 2026, 5:49 PM
Mike McCarthy Sees Something Rare In Darnell Washington
“He’s a match-up problem.”
Mike McCarthy didn’t need a lengthy explanation when discussing Steelers tight end Darnell Washington. Four words told the story.
At 6-foot-7 and 264 pounds, Washington isn’t simply another tight end. He is one of the most unique physical specimens in the NFL. A player built more like an offensive tackle, yet athletic enough to threaten defenses down the field and create problems after the catch.
McCarthy went as far as saying you’d have to go back to the 1990s to find players who fit the mold of a true Y-tight end capable of doing everything Washington can do.
That statement shouldn’t be overlooked.
In today’s NFL, tight ends are often oversized receivers. Washington is something different. He can align next to the tackle and block defensive ends in the run game, then become a red-zone weapon or chain-moving target in the passing attack.
Those players are increasingly rare.
The question isn’t whether Washington possesses the talent. The question has always been whether the Steelers would fully unlock it.
That answer may finally be arriving.
When Aaron Rodgers came to Pittsburgh in 2025, one of the first things he noticed was Washington. Rodgers repeatedly praised the young tight end’s physical gifts and gradually began looking his way more often. As the season progressed, flashes became production.
Washington finished 2025 with career highs across the board, hauling in 31 receptions for 364 yards while seeing 43 targets. Remarkably, that target total exceeded the 35 combined opportunities he received during his first two NFL seasons.
The film backed it up.
Whether dragging defenders after the catch or rumbling through the secondary with surprising agility, Washington began showing why Georgia viewed him as one of the most gifted tight end prospects in recent memory.
The Steelers clearly liked what they saw as well.
Pittsburgh recently rewarded Washington with a contract extension, ensuring one of the roster’s most intriguing young players remains a key part of the franchise’s future.
Entering his fourth NFL season after being selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Washington now finds himself in the ideal environment for a breakout campaign.
Rodgers remains under center.
McCarthy is installing an offense that embraces versatility and tight-end involvement.
And Washington is no longer viewed strictly as a developmental prospect. It appears this season he’ll become a real contributor to the offense like other tight ends coached by McCarthy during his tenure as a head coach.
McCarthy’s history only strengthens the optimism. Throughout his coaching career, he has consistently found ways to maximize production from tight ends, including Donald Lee, Jermichael Finley, Richard Rodgers, Dalton Schultz and Jake Ferguson.
Now he inherits perhaps the most physically imposing tight end of the group.
“I’ve been so impressed with him,” McCarthy said during his final media session before training camp.
The praise didn’t stop there.
“He’s been here every single day in the offseason program, he’s been a pro, his attention to detail in the meetings.”
Talent opens doors in the NFL and professionalism keeps them open.
For years Steelers fans have seen glimpses of what he could become. The extension signals the organization believes those glimpses are about to become something much bigger.
With Rodgers, McCarthy and a growing role in the offense, Washington may finally be stepping into the football world many envisioned when he first arrived in Pittsburgh.
Look for a breakout season for Washington in Pittsburgh.
A season where he becomes larger than life and he’s pretty darn big.
