Ex-Steelers OC Arthur Smith Had A Real Problem With Roman Wilson And It Explains Everything

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a real issue in their wide receiver room for several seaosns. For a long stretch, it was George Pickens carrying the offense and the entire position group on his back. That changed once Pittsburgh made the aggressive move to trade for DK Metcalf, a deal that gave the organization enough confidence to part ways with Pickens and send him to the Dallas Cowboys. Pickens went on to post a career year and is now positioned to earn top of the market wide receiver money, while the Steelers continue reshaping their offense with a new vision.

While Pickens is thriving elsewhere, Pittsburgh is still searching for stability and development within its wide receiver room. One of the most confusing situations centers around young wideout Roman Wilson, who will be entering his third season in the 2026 campaign. 

Despite flashes of potential, Wilson has yet to carve out a consistent role, leaving many to wonder how he fits into the long term plans. With Mike McCarthy now leading the charge along with Brian Angelichio, the evaluation of Wilson is essentially starting fresh.

According to Steelers insider Gerry Dulac, the new regime is not ready to give up on Wilson just yet. Dulac reported that the organization still believes there is untapped upside in the former draft pick and plans to give him every opportunity to develop. 

He also revealed a telling detail about who may have been holding Wilson back during the 2025 season, shedding new light on why his growth stalled and why this year could finally be different for the young receiver.

"I don't yet, but I don't think they plan to give up on him," Dulac said. "He has a lot of natural ability that I think will still make him a quality receiver. For some reason, there was something Arthur Smith didn't like about him."

There Steelers fans have it. According to Dulac, it was seemingly former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith who allegedly did not fully trust Wilson. The Steelers selected Wilson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and expectations were high that he could make an immediate impact as a rookie. 

That never materialized, largely due to an injury that kept him off the field early and stalled his development before it could ever get going.

During that 2024 rookie season, Wilson rarely saw meaningful action as he battled an injury, with former head coach Mike Tomlin explaining at the time that it was difficult for a young player to jump onto a train that was already moving. Now entering year three, the 2026 season looms large for Wilson. 

He has flashed ability in brief moments and shown why the organization was intrigued on draft night, but he has also made mistakes, including a costly fumble during the 2025 season. That moment may have further damaged Smith’s trust and contributed to why Wilson struggled to earn consistent opportunities last year.

Steelers Fans Remain Hopeful That Roman Wilson Will Break Out In 2026

Many around the league believed the Steelers wide receiver room was the perfect environment for a young receiver like Wilson to establish himself. The fact that he has not yet done so has raised questions about whether it was simply a matter of opportunity or something more concerning. 

Steelers fans remain curious and cautiously optimistic, hopeful that the new leadership under McCarthy and Angelichio will finally give Wilson a real chance to fully unlock his potential in the 2026 season.

Steelers fans believe optimism remains, hoping Wilson finally breaks out in 2026 under new leadership, even if early struggles make that hope feel distant.

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