Steelers' rookie Germie Bernard dominates in first preseason action

The Pittsburgh Steelers were without their top two wide receivers on Thursday (D.K. Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr.), which is more than O.K. Both players are veterans and certainly don’t need the preseason reps (especially with both players dealing with minor injuries). But that did allow several young players to see an extended amount of playing time.

One player who took advantage of those extra reps was Germie Bernard, the second-round pick of the Steelers in the 2026 NFL Draft. While he only played a handful of snaps, he certainly stood out positively. And that's exactly what the Steelers were hoping to see in Week 1 of the preseason.

Pittsburgh Steelers second-round rookie Germie Bernard stands out in first preseason game

Bernard has been in a competition with Roman Wilson for the No. 3 receiver job throughout training camp. And while one preseason game won’t decide the battle, it is noteworthy that Bernard was clearly the better player on Thursday.

Playing exclusively with Mason Rudolph, Bernard caught four passes for 51 yards on just five targets. He nearly caught a touchdown on an unbelievable play by Rudolph to escape pressure as he found Bernard in the back of the end zone. Bernard’s foot was just out of bounds, but it was still an impressive play nonetheless.

There were several impressive plays by Bernard on Thursday, but his best moment came on a flat route where he was able to turn upfield and turn a short gain into an explosive play. And that’s one of the reasons why the Steelers loved him so much coming out of Alabama. He was one of the best receivers in the class at creating plays after the catch, and he’ll be asked to do that a ton in Mike McCarthy’s offense.  

Not only did Bernard show that he can make plays after the catch, but he also showed his versatility against the Packers. He made plays on all three levels of the field and proved that he can play both in the slot and on the outside. If he can continue to make these types of plays throughout the preseason, there is no reason why he can't have a role in the offense right away.

It remains to be seen if Bernard will be the No. 3 receiver for the Steelers this season, but his impressive performance in the first preseason game certainly opened some eyes. It’s only one preseason game, but so far, so good for the former SEC star.

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