Teammate Of Steelers' Roman Wilson Gives Direct Comment About Wide Receiver's Work Ethic

The Pittsburgh Steelers were expecting to receive plenty of contributions from wide receiver Roman Wilson in the 2025 season. However, he became a healthy scratch by the end of the year and was completely overlooked in favor of aging veterans that were acquired later on. The season could not have gotten much worse for him, and the offseason noise is not helping. Expectations are that the team will select at least two wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft, including one in the first round. This all came after playing only five snaps in his rookie year in 2024.

However, hope is not all lost for him. Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz recently spoke very glowingly of him and defended him while hosting his show, The Christian Kuntz Podcast.

"There are guys that aren't producing that are developing on the team that no one's heard of," Kuntz said. "One comes to mind now: Roman Wilson. People think the production wasn't there the first two years -- they're calling him a bust. They don't know that he's working his a** off. I will -- and I've continued to -- back Roman because I see how he works, and I know it's going to pay off. I believe in him."

Wilson has received lots of praise in 2025 despite his lack of production and supposed issues that either Aaron Rodgers or the coaching staff had with him. It definitely seems like he got a raw deal, as his development was put on hold in favor of Adam Thielen's retirement tour and a reunion with Marquez Valdez-Scantling and his quarterback. That's not a great way to instill confidence in a young wideout. 

Of course, Wilson's stats are not great. He had 12 receptions for 166 yards and two garbage-time touchdowns. He also had a fumble that nearly cost the Steelers a win in the middle of the season, which may have contributed to him being in the doghouse later on. The numbers say he is a bust, but the game film tells a different story: one about how maybe the best receiver on the team gets overlooked.

Throughout the 2025 season, Wilson was the only wide receiver that was able to get any sort of consistent separation. He just rarely ever got the ball after making himself wide open, whether that was because of bad throws, or Rodgers not even looking in his general direction. The Steelers were desperate for any sort of quality route running and open targets, yet they ignored the one man that was doing that at a high level. 

Kuntz is right about Wilson. He works so hard behind the scenes to be a great wide receiver, and he does a lot of things the right way. It's unclear exactly why he struggled to gain the trust of his superiors, but he didn't deserve what happened to him. Even with the receivers that the Steelers will draft, he should hopefully have a breakout season in 2026 and show the world how great he truly is. 

Steelers May Be Better Off Trading Wilson Away

Numerous reports have come out saying that Rodgers is expected to return to the Steelers for one more year. If that happens, there is a good chance that Wilson is once again left behind in favor of other receivers. He doesn't deserve that kind of treatment, but there is a strong chance that it could happen. If he wants to see his full potential, he may want to get traded, and Pittsburgh may want to get a pick back as well. 

What do you think about Kuntz defending Wilson? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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