Steelers' Michael Pittman Jr. Hopes To Emulate The Great Hines Ward On The Field

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a nice splash to open up the legal tampering period by making a low-risk, high-reward trade for star wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. They moved down from a sixth-round comp pick near the end of the sixth round, to the middle of the seventh round to get a very physical wideout that can box out opposing defensive backs and use his soft hands to make any catch. He may have struggled as a WR1 in previous years, but being put in a complementary role may be just what he needs to thrive. 

Pittman has received numerous comparisons to another hyper-physical Steelers receiver: Hines Ward. Both have made some very tough catches, but they have really gained favor with their teammates from how they block and get physical at the line of scrimmage. The biggest difference is the fact that the newest Pittsburgh wideout is 6'4", while the other was just 6'0". 

During an exclusive interview with the Steelers, Pittman was asked about those comparisons. He responded by hoping to emulate Ward as much as he could.

"I've actually got that [comparison] a lot, especially early in my career," Pittman said. "Talking about the blocking aspect, because that's something that I take pride in: going out there and blocking and just that physicality. So, that's like the ultimate compliment, I think, because he was a great player and everything that he's done here, so I hope to continue to do that, and I hope that Steelers fans can see that same intensity that he had in the way I play."

If the Steelers can get anything close to a Ward-level performance from Pittman, he will quickly become a fan favorite in Pittsburgh. Obviously, he was drafted to be a receiver first, but if he was not a quality blocker, the front office may have avoided him and gone a completely different direction to fill that need. Instead, they have a man that could possibly jump-start their offense in a whole new way. 

Despite the expected shift in scheme and personnel grouping on offense, the Steelers still want to stick to their roots of being a dominant ground-and-pound offense that uses the run to set up the pass. Having blocking receivers like Pittman and Ben Skowronek to help Darnell Washington out in that regard will greatly aid that plan come to fruition. It's time to go back to playing Steeler football offensively and being the more physical team.

Pittman will get plenty of chances in the passing game as well. Other teams have learned that they can completely remove DK Metcalf from the equation by double-teaming him. Whenever that happens, the newest Pittsburgh receiver will get his one-on-one opportunities on the outside, so he can use his large frame and physical play to make the catch and force defenses to pay more attention to him.

Steelers Are Not Done Adding Weapons To The Offense

Expectations are that the Steelers are going to use their first-round pick on a wide receiver, whether they trade up for one of the top options, or stand pat and grab one at Pick 21. Getting some youth and speed into a room full of veterans will be a big key to maximizing the potential of the team. On top of that, they are likely looking to add yet another tight end either in free agency or in the draft, whether that's as a receiver, a blocker, or both. 

What do you think about Pittman hoping to prove the comparisons to Ward to be true, as well as his fit in the 2026 Steelers offense? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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