The Pittsburgh Steelers had big expectations for DK Metcalf when they traded for the two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver last offseason. Unfortunately, those expectations weren't met in 2025, and the big receiver is off to an unimaginably bad start in 2026.
After catching just four passes for 40 yards on 10 targets in the Steelers' home opener against the Atlanta Falcons, Metcalf was despicable in Week 2 against the New England Patriots. This week, the Steelers' top pass-catcher finished with four receptions for 27 yards on nine targets in Pittsburgh's ugly 20-3 loss against New England.
And, somehow, his performance was even worse than the box score suggested.
At one point in this contest, Metcalf mustered just two receiving yards on five targets before adding some garbage-time stats when the Steelers were well out of reach late in the fourth quarter. But even with 'padding the stats' against the Patriots late in the contest, Metcalf is coming off the worst two-game stretch of his NFL career.
Sadly, there might not be any coming back from this.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a serious DK Metcalf problem after another dismal showing
After the win over the Atlanta Falcons last week, Metcalf's performance reminded Steelers fans of just how bad the 2025 trade looked all around for Pittsburgh. Not only did Omar Khan and the front office give up a valuable second-round pick for Metcalf last offseason, but they proceeded to pay him $33 million per year in new annual value—a deal that already looks like one of the worst contracts in the NFL.
Had they known what his 2026 season would look like, Khan never would have made this deal.
After his first two games of the season, Metcalf has eight receptions on a whopping 19 targets but for just 67 yards while suffering a handful of dropped passes. As a result, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has just a 51.8 passer rating when targeting Metcalf after two games in 2026.
Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be an end in sight to Metcalf's struggles. Steelers fans were hoping the veteran would bounce back after hitting a career low in Week 1, but the inconsistent receiver continued to spiral in Week 2 against the Patriots.
As we look ahead to Week 3, Metcalf is one of the least efficient pass-catchers in the entire NFL, and he can't be counted on to make the routine catch. This has been an Achilles' heel of the Steelers' passing game, which has struggled to take flight this early in the season.
These struggles come after a season in which Metcalf earned just 59 receptions on 99 targets for 850 yards and six touchdowns last season—the least-productive campaign of his career.
Metcalf is far from the only problem on the Steelers' offense. Rodgers is a sitting duck in the pocket and he took a major step back in Week 2, while the offensive line has been atrocious, particularly when protecting the quarterback. Still, the Metcalf problem is impossible to ignore.
Because of the heavy investment in Metcalf—and a lack of options in the passing game—the Steelers have no choice but to try to make it work with their unreliable wideout. Quite frankly, DK Metcalf looks unplayable early in the 2026 season, but the Pittsburgh Steelers have no choice but to power through his struggles and hope he turns it around immediately.
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