Steelers' Calvin Austin III Answers If WRs Are Restricted Thanks To Constant QB Changes

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III is headed into the first playoff game of his young career against the Buffalo Bills. It certainly hasn't been a smooth, easy adjustment for the second-year player out of the University of Memphis. Austin looked great during the 2022 training camp until he suffered an ankle injury just before the first preseason game. The injury required surgery and cut his rookie season short. He came into 2023 raring to go and once again had an impressive camp and preseason. But the Steelers are now on their third quarterback and recently Austin was asked how hard it has been for the receivers to adjust to all of the changes. 

Last season, Austin and fellow rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett got to spend some preseason time together. Pickett was initially the backup quarterback behind veteran Mitch Trubisky who was signed during the offseason. Ultimately, part way through the fourth game of the season, Trubisky was benched in favor of the rookie. 

Fast forward to 2023 and Pickett was named the starting quarterback to begin the season. Unfortunately, he suffered his own ankle injury, a high sprain that required TightRope surgery, during their Week 13 game against the Arizona Cardinals. Trubisky took over under center and the Steelers dropped three games in a row. This led to Head Coach Mike Tomlin choosing to start third-string quarterback and longtime Pittsburgh backup, Mason Rudolph. 

This means the other players have had to adjust to all of these changes. Austin recently appeared on former Steelers linebacker, Arthur Moats' podcast, The Arthur Moats Experience. Moats asked him how hard all of this change has been. 

"Probably on other teams it could be an issue, but with the three quarterbacks that we have, for instance, let's just start with Mitch [Trubisky]. Obviously he has already played with Allen Robinson. He started last year, so he got experience with Tae [Diontae Johnson] and GP [George Pickens] and throughout camp this year he was going with the twos, so I was going with him the majority of the time. So boom, you put that aspect in and it's like we already have that camaraderie and that kind of time with everybody," explained Austin.

But Trubisky isn't the only quarterback who has moved around and spent a lot of time with the wide receivers. He feels like Rudolph has done that as well since he has been with the team since they drafted him in 2018.

"Then you go with somebody like Mason [Rudolph]. When camp first started, Kenny [Pickett] was going to threes and Mason was going to twos. So I was building rapport with Mason. Mason has been a guy that started in the league and he played with Tae, so Tae already got that camaraderie with him and you know, anybody can throw the ball to GP. And obviously, we've had tons of time with Kenny."

While it may look confusing to people outside looking in, Austin told Moats that from the receivers' perspective, they have so much confidence in the quarterbacks, it was easy. He said all of the offensive coaches are reinforcing this and are helping to build the feelings of togetherness. 

"It's been one of the smoothest and easiest adjustments. We don't have to change anything. We don't have to say, 'OK, back to the drawing board because this guy can only do this or can only do that.' You can actually feel that there isn't any tension. We got three capable Qs on the roster."

Austin credits the smoothness to Tomlin. He said that Tomlin has made it clear that he feels comfortable in his decisions and in the players. It helps the players be able to trust the quarterback that is starting. 

He said that the fact that Tomlin always remains cool under pressure is soothing to the players. Austin added that if he saw Tomlin worried or riled up, then he would feel the same way. 

Steelers' Calvin Austin III Is Having A Second Shot At His Rookie Season

While Austin is technically not a rookie since he was a part of the 2022 team, he didn't get his first shot at taking the field until 2023. He hasn't played as much this season as most fans expected, especially considering how much talk swirled around him and his speed during the past two training camps.  

Some of that may not be Austin's fault. The offense that was run by former Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada at the beginning of the season did not utilize the middle of the field or even take many shots down the field. Unfortunately for Austin, Pickett was the quarterback who went to him the most which means since the change, his offensive production has dropped. He was targeted 30 times with 17 receptions for 180 yards. He has been on punt and kick duty more often and this season, he has returned 29 balls for 249 yards during the regular season. 

Austin will likely continue to experience some quarterback upheaval as the Steelers will have to decide who they will name the starter in 2024. Rudolph has been the hot hand, helping Pittsburgh win their final three games of the regular season and make it to the playoffs. But the team used a first-round pick on Pickett and it is hard to imagine them moving away from him next season so quickly. 

What do you think about the team's usage of Austin? Are you surprised that the merry-go-round of quarterbacks hasn't been a huge stressor for the receivers? Click to comment below. 

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