The Pittsburgh Steelers, after months and months of aimless wandering, finally found their way to an upgrade at wide receiver this offseason. It wound up being former Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl pass-catcher DK Metcalf, who immediately infuses Arthur Smith's offense with another big-play threat opposite George Pickens.
It's not hard to be skeptical about the Steelers these days, but Pittsburgh straight up has one of the best WR duos in football. The quarterback situation remains unresolved, but if Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins end up throwing to two proven, explosive WR1s, well... it could probably be worse.
That said, this was not always a foregone conclusion. The Seahawks wanted to go in a new direction, but Metcalf — after roping in 66 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns across 15 appearances last season — stirred up a robust trade market. Several contenders presumably threw their hat in the ring, with one AFC contender coming painfully close to pulling off a trade.
Steelers fans, apparently, might need to think veteran defensive stalwart Cam Heyward for luring Metcalf to the Steel City.
"I was in California at the time, and I heard DK was in town, and then someone was like, ‘Oh he’s going to the Chargers and so I hit up one of my friends Tracy Perlman and she was like, ‘Yeah, I hear he might be going,'" Heyward said. "I’m like, ‘Text DK. Tell him to come with us.’ And then like in the next week, he was already with us. I don’t know how that happened, but DK was all about it."
Cam Heyward reached out to DK Metcalf prior to the Steelers trade: “I was in California at the time, and I heard DK was in town, and then someone was like, ‘Oh he’s going to the Chargers and so I hit up one of my friends Tracy Perlman and she was like, ‘Yeah, I hear he might be…
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) March 25, 2025
Cam Heyward's recruiting skills came in clutch as Steelers pried DK Metcalf away from Chargers
This is just another reason for Steelers fans to celebrate Heyward, who has done so much on and off the field over the years. His reputation around the league is what it is for a reason, and that gives him some sway when these decisions are being made.
That said, the Los Angeles Chargers fanbase has to be a little sore reading this. It does not quite qualify as betrayal since Metcalf was never officially on the L.A. roster. Plus, it's a trade, so several factors exist beyond the wideout's own preferences. Still, just imagine what could have been. The Chargers are a piece or two away from doing real damage, assuming at least one of those pieces is a star wideout.
Los Angeles hit the jackpot with Ladd McConkey in the 2024 NFL Draft, but the Chargers still need WR support after axing both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams ahead of last season. Justin Herbert has as much natural talent as any quarterback in the NFL, but he needs the necessary weaponry to take this Chargers offense from solid to elite. Herbert's four-INT, four-sack meltdown against Houston in the AFC Wild Card round still lingers on the mind. His postseason demons have yet to be exorcised. A more dependable collection of pass-catchers would help quite a bit. McConkey can't be the only target Herbert trusts under pressure.
This is a juicy what-if to ponder as we get closer to training camp and the NFL season. Metcalf, when healthy, is among the most explosive and physical wide receivers in the sport. He's a towering red zone target and a constant threat to get behind the defense. Instead of bumping the Chargers to the next level of contention, he has a chance to do the same in Pittsburgh.