Tag: Calvin Austin III

‘Hard Knocks’ shows what officials said to anger Mike Tomlin vs Eagles

Officials’ unseen exchange with Mike Tomlin highlights one of the worst excuses after a controversial Week 15 Steelers penalty.

Viewers of this week’s new episode of Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North, were treated to what led to Steelers HC Mike Tomlin profanely telling officials to get away from him.

Before Tomlin’s choice words to the officials, he questioned why they decided to call such a heinous penalty on both Steelers players: “Y’all didn’t see that guy throwing punches for Philadelphia?”

The official speaking to Tomlin then provided the most embarrassing excuse one could imagine, claiming the Eagles player was “knocking his hands off him.”

Fans who saw up-close footage of the altercation could clearly see that while Steelers TE Darnell Washington blocked CB Darius Slay Jr. for an extended period, the Eagles cornerback was the first to throw punches.

No wonder Tomlin was so bewildered with the officiating crew during Week 16’s contest between the Steelers and Eagles. Not only was Pittsburgh wrongly penalized for the skirmish, but he was also given one of the worst officiating excuses imaginable.

As the Steelers prepare for the Ravens in Week 16, hopefully the team can put these wrongful penalties behind them, with the stakes higher than ever in the upcoming AFC North showdown—a chance at the divisional title.

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Mike Tomlin offers some choice words to officials in Week 15

Following a personal foul penalty, Mike Tomlin’s choice words for officials highlighted his frustration during the Steelers-Eagles matchup.

In what can only be described as a chaotic start to Week 15’s contest between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles, head coach Mike Tomlin was clearly heated after watching his team surrender 10 points in the first quarter.

Following a physical altercation between the Steelers and Eagles, Tomlin was visibly frustrated that the officials only penalized Pittsburgh for the fight. Fans could clearly see Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell land a strike on Calvin Austin III, but the officiating crew appeared to miss it.

The personal foul penalty cost the Pittsburgh Steelers 15 yards, and Tomlin made his displeasure known to the officials in no uncertain terms.

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Yikes! Players and coaches have been fined for less when it comes to their interactions with officials, and it remains to be seen if the NFL will involve themselves due to Tomlin’s profanity-filled statement directed at the officiating crew.

One thing remains certain, however—it is probably best to leave Tomlin alone when you’re calling a penalty against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Fight erupts between Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles

A heated brawl erupted during the Steelers’ Week 15 contest after a physical altercation involving Darnell Washington and Calvin Austin.

George Pickens may have missed the Week 15 matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles, but his chaotic spirit lived on through some of his teammates early in the contest.

Steelers TE Darnell Washington—known for his impressive ability and willingness to block—did his best Pickens impersonation by driving Philadelphia Eagles CB Darius Slay all the way out of the end zone and slamming him into the stands.

The physical altercation took a turn for the worse when WR Calvin Austin III got involved, shoving CB Quinton Mitchell, who was near the pile of bodies. Mitchell seemingly landed a swing on Austin, but the officials must have missed that part of the action, as only Austin and Washington were penalized for the altercation.

Ultimately, the physical nature of the interaction that caused the penalty would stall the Pittsburgh Steelers’ scoring opportunity. The situation mirrored Pickens’ block attempt on Browns CB Greg Newsome II back in Week 12, where he drove the defender into the stands to end the game.

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Who misses who more: Diontae Johnson or the Pittsburgh Steelers?

With Pickens injured and Johnson causing drama in Baltimore, it’s unclear who’s missing who more—Diontae Johnson or the Steelers.

What a difference a week makes! Heading into Week 14, the Pittsburgh Steelers WR room seemed to have found its groove: the alpha in George Pickens, the deep threat in Calvin Austin III, and the big-bodied Mike Williams. However, following a last-minute hamstring injury to Pickens, which may jeopardize his availability over the next few weeks, the Steelers may regret trading away former All-Pro WR Diontae Johnson this past offseason.

Johnson was traded to the Carolina Panthers nine months ago in March 2024 for CB Donte Jackson, and was then traded to the Baltimore Ravens on October 29. There appears to be an issue with Johnson’s usage in the Ravens’ offensive scheme, leading to him refusing to play during Baltimore’s Week 13 contest against the Eagles, resulting in a one-game suspension.

While fans may be quick to disparage Johnson’s value for drama-related reasons, Pickens may have ultimately been more dramatic and disruptive this season.

Nevertheless, the only exception is the fantastic acquisition of Jackson, with WR depth still an issue and Johnson unhappy in Baltimore; both sides likely would have benefitted if the trade had never taken place.

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Could Odell Beckham Jr. sign with the receiver-hungry Steelers?

With the Pittsburgh Steelers in desperate need of WR help, could the team potentially sign the recently released Odell Beckham Jr.?

In what is shaping up to be an up-and-down roller coaster for the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver room over the past few weeks, one recently released Miami Dolphins receiver could make all the difference for the Black and Gold.

Former All-Pro WR Odell Beckham Jr. and the Dolphins have mutually agreed to part ways, with Beckham seeking opportunities for playing time elsewhere.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were in desperate need of receiver help heading into the 2024 regular season, and it remains their biggest area of concern with major implications looming over the next few weeks.

With Steelers WR George Pickens out with a hamstring injury and no return date given, Beckham and the Steel City seem like a match made in Heaven.

Beckham would instantly be an upgrade to the depleted Steelers wide receiver room, and when Pickens is healthy, this terrifying tandem would be tough for opposing secondaries to contain. In the meantime, Pittsburgh Steelers WRs Calvin Austin III, Mike Williams, Van Jefferson, and Scotty Miller will do their best to fill the void left by Pickens.

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Week 15: Should you drop George Pickens in fantasy football?

Fantasy football managers may need to decide whether to keep George Pickens on their roster as he may miss the entirety of their playoffs.

For the lucky few fantasy football fanatics who have made it into the playoffs, congratulations are in order! However, if Steelers WR George Pickens is on your roster, things may be looking grim.

While league settings may vary, the majority of fantasy football leagues will be playing their playoffs between Weeks 15 and 17—the weeks Pickens might miss, according to one Steelers insider.

It is unlikely Pickens will end up on IR, forcing fantasy managers to decide if the Steelers WR is worth keeping around ultimately. His absence from Week 15 is all but confirmed, and insiders seem to agree that Pickens may not be able to recover from his hamstring injury in time for Weeks 16 and 17.

If Pickens is on your roster, it is important to consider when, if at all, he will return to action in the regular season. Can your roster sustain having the Pittsburgh Steelers WR taking up a spot on the bench, or will you ultimately need to let him go in favor of some other potential breakout Steelers players, like WR Mike Williams, WR Calvin Austin III, or TE Pat Freiermuth?

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Will Calvin Austin III play this week? Injury updates for Steelers WR

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin, is dealing with a concussion sustained in Cincinnati Bengals game. Here’s the latest update.

In Week 13, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin took a massive hit from Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither, penalized for pass interference on the play. Austin did return to catch a 23-yard touchdown in the second quarter but suffered another blow later in the game, leading to a concussion evaluation.

In an interview with reporters on Friday, Austin said he’s good to play on Sunday.

Calvin Austin III injury update

Austin improved from limited to full practice participant on Thursday. Russell Wilson could use him since wide receivers not named George Pickens haven’t done squat.

Austin is tied with Pat Freiermuth for the most touchdowns by a receiver with four.

Steelers wide receiver depth chart

Mike Williams, acquired via trade with the New York Jets last month, remains behind Austin and Van Jefferson on Pittsburgh’s depth chart. Williams has primarily been deployed as a blocker and has no stats since catching a 32-yard touchdown in his Steelers’ debut.

Heck, WR4 Ben Skowronek has seen more action than Williams.

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Did the Steelers lose the WR Mike Williams trade?

Mike Williams continues to struggle for playing time and production with the Steelers, raising questions about the trade’s value.

Another week of Black and Gold football, another week of disappointment for fans hoping to see the not-so-newly acquired WR Mike Williams make an impact for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Critics of the Steelers’ use of Williams appear to be beating a dead horse, as he continues to see minimal involvement despite being in Pittsburgh for almost a month now.

Even with WR Calvin Austin III sidelined due to an injury in Week 13—and the NFL commentary team suggesting that Williams should be able to contribute with a better understanding of the playbook—the wide receiver finished with an unimpressive stat line of zero targets, zero catches, zero total yards, and just 17 total snaps on offense against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Since being acquired by Pittsburgh, Williams has played only seven, 15, and 11 snaps in Weeks 10–12, respectively. To make matters worse, Austin and WR Van Jefferson have been steadily outperforming him.

Once again, Williams finds himself buried in a crowded wide receiver room, and at this point, it seems Steelers GM Omar Khan traded a 2025 fifth-round pick to the New York Jets, and took on Williams’ remaining salary, for practically nothing.

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Report: Calvin Austin III ruled OUT in Week 13 against Bengals

WR Calvin Austin III has been ruled out of the Steelers Week 13 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals after multiple big hits.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ injury woes continue to mount. WR Calvin Austin III, who has been instrumental in the Black and Gold’s deep passing attack, has been ruled out of Week 13’s matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals with a head injury.

To kick off the Steelers’ first drive of the game, the speedy wideout took a huge hit from Cincinnati Bengals LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, resulting in a pass interference penalty. Austin, who is listed at 5’9″ and under 170 lbs, is not a big receiver by any means and needed time on the sideline to recover from the hit.

However, Bengals CB Cam Taylor-Britt once again delivered a hard hit on Austin following a routine catch, resulting in the Steelers receiver’s injury.

While Austin’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for the wideout, who was in the midst of back-to-back impressive performances, the Pittsburgh Steelers offense continued to steamroll over the Cincinnati Bengals defense, with Russell Wilson carving up the opposing secondary in Week 13.

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What is going on with WR Mike Williams?

The Steelers’ wide receiver room has seen changes, but questions remain about WR Mike Williams’ role in the team’s offensive strategy.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Such is the life of the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers‘ wide receiver room. While the Steelers addressed potential depth issues through free agency, the draft, and the trade deadline with WRs Van Jefferson, Roman Wilson, and Mike Williams respectively, there has been almost nothing from these three to show for it.

Specifically, much of the hype surrounding the Williams acquisition leaves fans scratching their heads over why his usage has been so minimal.

His Week 10 debut saw him score the game-deciding TD, but he hasn’t received a single target in either Week 11 or Week 12’s contest.

In his recent disappearing act, Calvin Austin III has stepped up in a big way, but it doesn’t excuse the Steelers’ poor usage of Wilson.

The issue likely stems from the offensive scheme, much to the frustration of fans, as OC Arthur Smith’s predictable running calls have limited the Steelers’ passing opportunities in recent weeks.

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