Rookie Roman Wilson calls Steelers WR Calvin Austin III ‘leader of the room’

This final week of mandatory minicamp for the Pittsburgh Steelers brought several extremely positive reports regarding third-year WR Calvin Austin III. WR coach Zach Azzanni said he was outstanding, Justin Fields said he was “wild” with his route running, and now Roman Wilson offered a different kind of praise. He said Austin is becoming a leader of the wide receiver group in Pittsburgh.

“Right now, the way I look at Calvin is he’s a veteran in the gym. In my opinion, I feel like he’s more of the leader in the room,” Wilson said in a video posted by Post-Gazette Sports on YouTube. “He’s just a great guy, a great teammate. I feel like I can talk to him. I feel like I can ask him questions. He asks me questions and I feel like he’s a great guy.

Just last season, the Steelers seemed to lack leadership on offense. Kenny Pickett was named offensive captain, and in hindsight it was probably too early for him to take on that type of responsibility. It looked especially bad once he was benched in favor of Mason Rudolph late in the season.

Amid December’s three-game losing streak, the question of offensive leadership kept coming up. Some players pointed to Najee Harris, Allen Robinson II and Mason Cole as those guys. Two of them are no longer on the roster and Harris is entering the final year of his contract after having his fifth-year option declined. Russell Wilson will help stabilize the offensive leadership, but it never hurts to have multiple guys capable of filling that role.

In an episode of The Arthur Moats Experience with Deke podcast immediately following the 2023 season, Austin expressed how grateful he was to have Robinson by his side.

“I’m definitely part of the team with him, talk to him – I’ve gained a whole new outlook on being a player in this league,” Austin said. “I can literally sit and talk and listen to A Rob for hours.”

It would appear that Robinson’s approach as a teammate and veteran in the room has rubbed off on Austin, who is now seen as a leader himself.

Austin has now received praise from coaches, veteran players and rookies alike on various aspects of what he brings to the team. His actual ability on the field, his heart and intelligence, and his work ethic all seem to have taken a step forward. While everyone is trying to figure out who the WR2 is in Pittsburgh, he could have been on the roster all along.

Although this is his third season, Austin lost his entire rookie year to a foot injury. Last year he showed some flashes, but the offensive system and quarterback were barely good enough to support the top two receivers, let alone utilize a third option with sufficient frequency and success. Back when Austin was drafted, a member of the Baltimore Ravens front office reportedly groaned in the war room as the Steelers selected him a pick before the Ravens were planning to do so. And then he drew glowing reports from national media members like Adam Schefter during training camp as a rookie.

The hype was crushed by injury and lack of success in 2023, but much of that was frankly out of Austin’s control. Now in a new offense, with a wide-open WR2 position and an improved quarterback, Austin might finally be due for this breakout season. He would certainly add a dimension of explosive speed that the Steelers haven’t had on offense in quite a while.