A Welcomed Return by No. 14 for MNF

by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published January 10, 2025, 4:51 PM

Pittsburgh, PA – As he completes his seventh regular season and first in Pittsburgh, DK Metcalf anxiously awaits his return from a two-game suspension following an altercation with a fan during the Steelers’ thrilling victory over the Lions in Detroit.

It’s fair to say his return feels imperative to the success of the Pittsburgh offense. In truth, however, the Steelers offense with or without Metcalf has been average. They rank 15th in the league in points per game, which, in a 32-team NFL, is slightly better than dead center.

A Tic Tac better than average.

As of writing, Metcalf is the fourth-highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL, averaging roughly $33 million annually, trailing only Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and CeeDee Lamb, with A.J. Brown and Garrett Wilson lurking just behind in yearly earnings.

The Steelers had been chasing a marquee receiver since the summer of 2024, when the Brandon Aiyuk Watch dragged on for weeks in Latrobe. A deal briefly materialized before dissolving, leaving Aiyuk in San Francisco.

Eventually, Omar Khan struck a deal to bring the former Seattle star to Pittsburgh.

Meanwhile, Seattle sits as the No. 1 seed in the NFC, boasting the league’s third-ranked offense in points per game and the NFL’s top defense, surrendering a league-best 17.2 points per game.

So, the question lingers in my mind.

Did Seahawks general manager John Schneider pull a fast one on Omar Khan?

To double down — did DK Metcalf get one over on the Steelers?

Turning 28 in December, there’s no denying Metcalf’s durability. From his rookie season in 2019 through 2023, he didn’t miss a single game.

Over the last two seasons, however, he’s missed four games. Two in Seattle in 2024 and the final two in Pittsburgh this season.

Still, whether he was ever worth this gigantic contract was something I questioned at the time and questioned even more now. The back of the baseball card always pulls us toward the one season where a player peaked statistically, begging us to believe that version still exists.

The baseball card is all a historical reference to the years of dominance that tend to fade with every athlete in any sport. Father time never loses.

Seattle read the tea leaves correctly, moving on from Metcalf while emerging Jaxon Smith-Njigba detonated onto the scene, leading the league with 1,793 receiving yards this season.

Which brings us back to Metcalf.

In 2025, he posted the lowest receiving yardage total of his career (850). His 56.7 yards per game mark is the second lowest of his career, narrowly ahead of his rookie season (56.3). With a career catch rate of 60.2%, Metcalf dipped below that mark in 2025, finishing at 59.6%.

Statistically, the back of his baseball card doesn’t justify what the Steelers are paying. That isn’t an indictment of Metcalf himself. Suspension aside, his leadership, Detroit excluded, has been a welcome presence, particularly when compared to the often-miserable George Pickens, whom Pittsburgh moved shortly after acquiring Metcalf.

So, what’s the explanation?

Did Khan panic paying too much for too little?

Is Arthur Smith failing to deploy him properly?

Is the supporting cast too thin?

Or is Aaron Rodgers not doing enough to force feed Metcalf the football?

Rodgers and Metcalf have shown flashes of chemistry, but it’s inconsistent touchy-feely. It isn’t football erotica.

Pick your poison.

With that, Metcalf returns to the lineup against what is arguably one of the best defenses in football in the Houston Texans.

Statistically, Arizona’s Jacoby Brissett and Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins form a near mirror image of Rodgers and Metcalf in 2025. I know the numbers. I’ve done the work. Don’t believe me — look it up.

Ironically, the Higgins contract makes the Metcalf deal look reasonable, but that’s another story for another day. Another reminder of why Cincinnati so often gets it wrong. I’ll stop myself there.

Back to Metcalf.

The supposed missing piece meant to help push the Steelers toward their first playoff win since the 2016 season — when Metcalf was still a freshman at Ole Miss. He left after his junior year, was selected 64th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, and spent six seasons in Seattle before arriving in Pittsburgh.

That’s a long wait for a franchise of this stature.

Will they keep waiting?

Is Metcalf the key ingredient to a Monday night victory?

To live up to the big contract it’s time!

 

Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com