Steelers rookie takes one on the chin from Mike McCarthy despite strong showing in preseason debut against Green Bay Packers
There’s a new standard in Pittsburgh, and head coach Mike McCarthy is holding everyone accountable, even when that person is a rookie who looked good in his preseason debut for the Steelers.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy is holding rookie wide receiver Kaden Wetjen to a higher standard, and that should tell Pittsburgh fans everything they need to know about how the coaching staff views the fourth-round pick’s potential.
Despite a preseason Week 1 performance that turned heads, highlighted by a 75-yard connection with quarterback Drew Allar and a touchdown in the low red zone, McCarthy was not satisfied. The Steelers head coach said the play was fine, but he wants more playmaking from Wetjen. On that 75-yard reception specifically, McCarthy’s message was clear: Wetjen needs to score. Pittsburgh expects a touchdown in that scenario.
A lot of people were taken aback by the comments. They thought it was overly critical, maybe a little bit much from McCarthy. The truth is, I think it’s a good thing.
Kaden Wetjen preseason Week 1 stats vs Packers
- 2 receptions
- 79 receiving yards, one touchdown.
- 71 combined return yards.
Why McCarthy’s criticism is actually a compliment
When the Steelers took Wetjen in round 4 of the 2026 NFL Draft, opening Day 3 of their selections with him, a lot of people shook their heads. Why in the world would the Steelers use a fourth-round pick on a guy who was really only viewed as a returner, a player with roughly 200 receiving yards in his career at Iowa?
But the Steelers, and Wetjen himself, have shown he is much more than that. You look at the clips from Latrobe and the film from preseason Week 1, and this guy could very well develop into a dynamic slot receiver in the NFL. That is how Pittsburgh and McCarthy, who obviously orchestrates the offense, view him. They see something beyond the return game.
Pittsburgh wants a playmaker, not just a returner
That is exactly why McCarthy is being critical. The coaching staff is trying to push Wetjen, trying to allow him to reach his full potential. They don’t want him to just be a returner. They don’t want him resting on his laurels as one of the best return men in college football. They want him to be an all-around gadget weapon for the Steelers, a do-it-all playmaker who can contribute on multiple levels of the offense.
So I’m not overreacting to this. In my opinion, it’s a positive sign. Keep his feet to the fire. Make sure you’re getting the best out of your rookie. When a head coach holds a Day 3 pick to that kind of standard after a strong performance, it means the organization believes the ceiling is real.
