Calvin Austin III Makes Revealing Statement On What It's Really Like Working With Steelers' Aaron Rodgers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are running it back with quarterback Aaron Rodgers in 2026, and that is considered to be a good thing as he was arguably the best option for the franchise when it comes to winning football games. He seemingly gives Pittsburgh its best chance to compete and maybe break the disastrous playoff-win drought that has been going on for nearly a decade. Some fans have been and still are against Rodgers being back, but there is nothing that can be done about it now and he will be the starter for the 2026 season. Hopefully the offense is better as a whole, and it is fair to say that the veteran quarterback will have a better supporting cast this season.

One of Rodgers' wide receivers in 2025 was Calvin Austin III. Austin was productive during his time with Pittsburgh, but by no means should he ever be near the top of the depth chart when it comes to catching passes. This shows just how few weapons Rodgers had during his first season in Pittsburgh, as Austin was considered the second wide receiver on the depth chart for most of the season. Austin entered free agency during the 2026 offseason, and he eventually signed a one-year deal worth $1.5 million with the New York Giants.

Austin is now catching passes from a second-year quarterback in Jaxson Dart, which has to be quite different from being in the huddle with a four-time league MVP. Austin spoke to Tyler Dunne from Go Long about the change, and what was different.

"With Aaron, he’s a Hall of Famer," Austin said. "You’re going to have to do things how he wants. With Jaxson, you can put your own little sauce on it. He puts his own little sauce on it. And you can come together to create something. That’s a big thing. I’ll be like, 'Hey Jax, this dude right here, listen, if he’s on me? I don’t care what they say, throw it to me.' Or Jax will say, 'Hey Cal...'"

Austin seems to appreciate an open line of communication with his quarterback that isn't just one-sided, which seems to be what the situation was in Pittsburgh with Rodgers. That is not hard to believe at all as it has been known that Rodgers is hard on his receivers, and he has also earned the right to be demanding of his pass catchers.

Austin was not saying this about Rodgers in a negative way. He was just noting the big difference. He went from playing back to back seasons with future Hall of Famers throwing him the football, to Dart, who is only in his second season. Dart impressed in 2025, but he is certainly a much different player from what Austin is used to at the quarterback position.

"I like my quarterback to be cocky, popping it," Austin said. "Let’s go to war with him."

The wide receiver basically described Dart with that sentence, and that is now what he will get. It isn't a sure thing that Austin will make the final roster in New York. He will probably be competing with Gunner Olszewski for a depth spot at receiver and as a returner on special teams, and it will be interesting to monitor his future.

Steelers Have Improved Their Wide Receiver Room Dramatically

Austin probably outperformed expectations during his time in Pittsburgh considering his size and the team around him. He was a good player for the Steelers, but it was time to upgrade the arsenal of weapons on the offense. The addition of Michael Pittman Jr. immediately makes the team better, and the same can be said about the selection of Germie Bernard in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. 

What do you think of these comments from Austin? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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