The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t just pay Darnell Washington because they like the idea of what he might become. They paid him because they already know what he gives them.
Washington’s four-year, $42 million extension with $21 million guaranteed is a serious investment in a tight end who hasn’t exactly stuffed the stat sheet. Through three seasons, he’s caught 57 passes for 625 yards and two touchdowns. For some players, that kind of production would make the contract feel aggressive.
It’s different for Washington, as his value has never been limited to catches, targets, or red-zone looks. It’s built around what he lets the Steelers do before the snap, after the snap, and in the run game without tipping their hand to the defense.
Darnell Washington gives the Pittsburgh Steelers a rare offensive weapon
“We know that Washington’s going to be here long term,” Still Curtain editor Tommy Jaggi said on the "Still Curtain" podcast.
That’s what made the decision to extend him so easy. The Steelers aren’t guessing anymore. Washington, affectionately dubbed “Mount Washington” by Steelers Nation, is 6'7", turns 25 this offseason, and gives Pittsburgh a type of player most offenses don’t have.
“He’s a guy who can operate as an offensive tackle just as easily as he can as a tight end,” Jaggi said.
Washington isn’t being paid like a traditional pass-catching tight end but as a rare offensive chess piece who can help define what Mike McCarthy wants this group to become.
If the Steelers lean into heavier personnel with Pat Freiermuth, Washington, and multiple tight end looks, Washington becomes more than a costar; he becomes part of the offensive identity. He can line up tight, create movement, seal edges, help protect Aaron Rodgers, and force defenses to change their personnel.
Then, when opponents treat him like another blocker, he can slip into space and punish smaller defenders. Washington averaged 11.7 yards per catch last season, which showed there’s more to his game than absorbing contact at the line of scrimmage.
Washington landed at No. 8 on Still Curtain’s list of the 10 most valuable future assets on the Steelers roster, and Still Curtain co-editor Shayne Kubas summed up why succinctly.
“He’s just too unique and too impactful in specific ways that it’s hard not to put him on this list,” Kubas said.
That uniqueness could lead to a bigger role than some expect.
“I expect Washington to, if I had to guess, definitely play the most actual tight end snaps on this team,” Kubas added.
That’s not a small projection with Freiermuth still on the roster. It’s also the clearest indication of why Pittsburgh moved early. Washington isn’t just a tight end in a rotation. He’s a tone-setter, a disguise piece, and one of the most important clues about where this offense is headed.
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