The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't even let the dust settle on Nick Herbig's contract extension before inking a deal with Darnell Washington. Many assumed Joey Porter Jr. would be the next player in line to get his bag, and there was no guarantee that a Washington extension was going to get done.
Surprisingly, the Steelers handed Washington a four-year, $42 million contract extension on June 3. His $10.5 million in average annual value makes him the 12th-highest paid tight end in the NFL, per Over the Cap. This might seem steep for a tight end who lacks receiving production over his first three seasons.
But general manager Omar Khan just made a statement: the Steelers plan to unleash their 'unicorn' tight end often.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have big plans for TE Darnell Washington
One complaint fans have had over Washington's first three seasons is that he hasn't seen enough playing time. The third-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft is obviously an exceptional blocker, but he can also be a weapon in the passing game.
In each of his first three seasons, Washington hasn't earned as many as 600 offensive snaps in a single campaign. As a rookie, he recorded 511 snaps before earning 584 in his second season in 2024 and 546 in his third season last year, via Pro Football Reference. This isn't enough.
Thankfully, Washington saw a career high in receiving production in 2025—earning 31 receptions on 43 targets for 364 yards and a touchdown. Washington was also credited with four broken tackles last season (though it doesn't count when he's dragging defenders down the field). The big tight end's yards per reception have also climbed in each season, going from 8.7 to 10.5 to 11.7.
The Steelers still have Pat Freiermuth, and Washington's deal came under this mark. With Mike McCarthy as the new head coach, Pittsburgh could be looking at more 11-personnel groupings, and Freiermuth could be used more often. He fits the mold of the tight ends McCarthy has favored in the past.
But this team wouldn't have given a 'blocking' tight end $10.5 million per season if they weren't high on him.
If Pittsburgh wants Washington to be a bit more dynamic in the receiving game, they could ask the big tight end to cut some weight. In November of last season, Washington admitted to weighing 311 pounds.
Washington's role in McCarthy's new-look offense remains a mystery. He'll obviously be used as an inline blocker, but the Steelers could have bigger plans for the mammoth tight end than anyone realizes.
Washington is one-of-one at his position—a 6'7'', 300-plus-pound tight end with a 7'1'' wingspan. He's a mauler in the running game with soft hands as a receiver and the ability to run defenders over. How can the Steelers not get him involved?
Despite making him a top-12 paid player at his position, I'm a huge fan of this contract extension. Khan, McCarthy, and the Pittsburgh Steelers believe in Darnell Washington, and I'm excited to see how the exceptionally rare tight end is used in 2026.
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