Steelers Calvin Austin III Did Not Play More Because Of Mike Tomlin Being Enamored By Allen Robinson's 1 Trait
The Pittsburgh Steelers struggled on the offensive side of the ball mightily throughout the 2023 season. Play-calling was atrocious, which led to Matt Canada being fired midseason, and quarterback play was inconsistent at best. Now a new offense is in place, and the three Steelers quarterbacks from 2023 have new homes across the NFL. Other changes have been made offensively, including the departure of both Diontae Johnson and Allen Robinson II.
Johnson was a great receiver for Pittsburgh, but the same can't be said about Robinson. He once had a great career going, but injuries slowed him down. The Steelers traded for him after he was well past his prime. He was a non-factor in the receiving game, failing to score a touchdown all season long. His value came from his veteran leadership and blocking in the run game, which is ultimately what kept other receivers like Calvin Austin III off the field for the Steelers. Insider Mark Kaboly wrote about this in a recent mailbag on The Athletic.
"He’s [Austin] getting an opportunity to showcase his skill set. He wasn’t often put in a position to do that last year, as they were enamored with Allen Robinson’s blocking in the slot, rather than getting receiving production from that spot. Austin is fast, runs good routes, is now somewhat experienced and is a very likable individual. Can he be the No. 2? Well, not in the traditional way we look at receivers, but he will have a bigger role, and he should have his most productive season."
Austin missed his entire rookie season in 2022, and there was a lot of excitement surrounding him entering the 2023 season. Fans probably set the bar to high for a fourth-rounder coming off a season-long injury, but nonetheless, Austin's production in 2023 was less than expected. Austin was used oftentimes as a gadget player, and was the team's fourth receiver for the majority of the season.
Robinson started every game for the Steelers during the 2023 season, and played over 70 percent of the offensive snaps throughout the year. Despite his high workload, he caught just 34 passes for 280 yards. He was a possession catch receiver that posed little threat with the ball in his hands. He averaged just 2 yards after catch per reception, which was the lowest mark of his career. Pittsburgh values the run game, so his blocking in the slot kept him on the gridiron.
Austin on the other hand started just one game, which came when Johnson was injured at the beginning of the year. He was on the field for 35 percent of the offensive snaps, and saw just 30 targets on the season. He caught 17 of them for 180 yards and a touchdown, which included a 72-yard score against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Austin's speed makes him a threat against any defense in the league. Pittsburgh released Robinson during the 2024 offseason, and now hopefully Austin can beat out a few of the new additions and be more involved in 2024.
Steelers' Austin Has Shown Sparks
Austin has had some moments up until this point in his career where he has looked unstoppable. It began during the preseason in 2023, when he had a handful of plays that displayed what kind of weapon he could be. He returned a punt for over 50 yards against the Buffalo Bills, and caught a 67-yard touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
His production slowed down in the regular season, as he didn't see the field as much. His touchdown against the Raiders was memorable and helped the Steelers get the victory on Sunday Night Football. Austin also was a rare bright spot in the Steelers' playoff loss in Buffalo, where he scored a touchdown. Austin can produce, as long as he gets the opportunity to do so.
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