Leaked Reason For Roman Wilson's Lack Of Opportunities Should Bother Steelers Fans

The Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled at the wide receiver position over the last several seasons, with the worst coming in 2025. DK Metcalf was the only true, consistent threat at the receiver position, and the lack of other weapons made it extremely difficult for him to do his job. He saw a ton of defensive attention that made it nearly impossible to get open at times, and that showed exactly why a focus of the 2026 offseason should be to improve that room. The process has already begun as the Steelers acquired wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. from the Indianapolis Colts in a trade, and the franchise should be expected to go after wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft as well.

One player fans want to see more from is third-year wide receiver Roman Wilson. He essentially redshirted his rookie season in 2024, but then he barely got to see the field in 2025. He made some plays throughout the year, but wound up being a consistent healthy scratch near the end of the season. This frustrated fans as he had made some plays earlier in the season and he seemed like one of the few players on the roster that could actually get separation.

There has been plenty of speculation as to why Wilson did not get on the field much, and typically it was either former head coach Mike Tomlin or Aaron Rodgers catching the blame. Former tight end and fullback Connor Heyward was asked about Rodgers on Not Just Football, and his answer may shine some light on the situation.

"He made sure everybody knew what they were doing," Heyward said of Rodgers. "And if you did not know what you were doing, you wouldn't be out there. He would grill everybody, that's what I respected about him."

Wilson showed signs of growth early on in the 2025 season, at least when it came to on-field production. That is why it was bizarre to see him completely eliminated from the offense as the season went along, and the concern then grew when he was inactive near the end of the year. This assessment of Rodgers from Heyward makes it seem like Wilson might not have been as engaged with his playbook as he should have been, which is why he struggled to get onto the field.

Rodgers has been known to be very particular with his wide receivers throughout his career, and that is usually harder on younger players like Wilson. They need to know the playbook, and they also need to learn exactly how Rodgers likes every aspect of each play executed. Hopefully Wilson can take a step forward in this regard as it seems more than likely that Rodgers is going to be back with Pittsburgh for the 2026 season.

It is also important to note that the coaching changes for the Steelers could benefit Wilson. Tomlin made him inactive towards the end of the season, and now he has a fresh start under Mike McCarthy.

Steelers Cannot Let Aaron Rodgers Dictate Personnel In 2026

Last season, it was evident that Rodgers had some say in the fact that Wilson was inactive and veteran wide receivers were brought into the fold. That cannot happen in 2026. The Steelers are entering a pivotal year where the team is going to try to win immediately, but it is also important to develop younger players. This includes Wilson who is entering his third season, and it includes whatever rookie wide receivers are brought in through the 2026 NFL Draft. There is a chance the Steelers could take a wide receiver with a first-round pick, and that could be a major risk with Rodgers under center as the veteran quarterback could shatter a young playmaker's confidence.

What do you think kept Wilson off of the field? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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