Steelers’ win over the Indianapolis Colts may have come with a pair of losses that Pittsburgh’s offense simply can’t afford
The Pittsburgh Steelers were already bracing to play without Michael Pittman Jr. for multiple weeks after he landed on IR. Then Sunday’s win over the Indianapolis Colts made an already thin receiver room even thinner.
The Pittsburgh Steelers walked away from Sunday with a big win over the Indianapolis Colts. They also walked away with a wide receiver room that is suddenly in real trouble.
The Steelers’ wide receiver depth was already being tested heading into the weekend. Earlier in the week, head coach Mike McCarthy delivered bad news on one of the team’s top pass catchers.
Michael Pittman Jr. re-aggravated his plantar fasciitis, he’ll be out multiple weeks.
Pittsburgh placed Pittman on injured reserve with a designation to return. Losing him for a stretch was going to be a challenge on its own. But Sunday added two more names to the list, and that changes the math for this offense.
Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek both exited against the Colts
Kimberly A. Martin posted a photo on X that showed Pittman alongside wide receiver Roman Wilson, who had his hand heavily bandaged. If you watched the game, you saw Wilson exit with what the team called a wrist/finger injury. The Steelers ruled him out pretty quickly.
With a bandage like that, it’s hard to picture a wide receiver catching passes anytime soon.
Wilson wasn’t the only receiver to go down in Pittsburgh, either. Wide receiver and special teams ace Ben Skowronek also left the game with a calf injury.
I have to be honest about Skowronek. If he gets ruled out of a game, it’s because the Steelers’ training staff told him he absolutely cannot play. This guy is tough as nails. I have never seen a football player more willing to do whatever it takes than Skowronek.
So if he is dealing with a calf injury, it’s probably a bad one.
Roman Wilson 2026 stats
Through 4 games
- 14 receptions
- 188 receiving yards
- 2 receiving TDs
Pittsburgh’s wide receiver room is suddenly in a bad spot
Here is where things stand. The Steelers know Pittman won’t play next week. They don’t know about Skowronek, and they don’t know about Wilson just yet.
Still, the fact that both players were ruled out so quickly, might not a good sign for either of them
That means Pittsburgh could be looking at three wide receivers who may not be able to play when it takes the field again.
So the immediate question becomes, who steps up? Wilson’s absence would take away a young receiver the Steelers were counting on to fill the void Pittman left behind. Skowronek’s absence would hurt in two places, because he contributes on offense and serves as one of the most reliable players on special teams. Losing both of them at the same time, while Pittman sits on IR, puts a ton of pressure on whoever is left.
It also limits what this offense can do. Fewer healthy receivers means fewer options in the passing game, fewer ways to rotate fresh legs, and less flexibility when building a game plan for next week.
A win over Indianapolis that came at a steep price
To be fair to the Steelers, beating the Colts is a result worth celebrating. Wins in the NFL are hard to come by, and Pittsburgh got one against a quality opponent.
Still, the Steelers also suffered a pair of losses they simply cannot afford. On its own, the Wilson injury would be a concern. On its own, the Skowronek injury would be a concern. Add both of them to everything going on with Pittman, and the receiver room goes from manageable to a genuine problem.
The next few days are crucial. Updates on Wilson and Skowronek will tell us a lot about how this offense looks next week, and whether Pittsburgh needs to start exploring outside help at the position.
