The Pittsburgh Steelers came away with a win in their 2026 NFL season opener after defeating the Atlanta Falcons at home, despite some of their key players failing to deliver strong performances. One of them was DK Metcalf, who, according to Ben Roethlisberger, was hurt by the lack of preseason games heading into the season opener.
“DK, the drops. As a receiver especially, that’s got to just like, chap ya,” Big Ben said while talking to Santonio Holmes on a recent episode of his podcast, Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger. “And, two [offensive pass interference penalties]. That’s a lot. How much of that — the argument is going to be how much of that is lack of preseason reps, right? No preseason games. No preseason reps.“
Metcalf did not see any game action during the Steelers’ preseason due to an undisclosed injury. Clearly, the lack of game reps may have worked against him, and it remains to be seen whether he can quickly get back into form and become the ace Aaron Rodgers needs throughout the season.
A slow start to the season for Metcalf
DK Metcalf’s 2026 season got off to a pretty frustrating start, as he really struggled to sync up with the offense and capitalize on his opportunities. Despite seeing a heavy workload with 10 targets, he managed to secure just 4 catches for 40 yards—leaving a lot of production on the field with a dismal 40% catch rate.
Dk Metcalf #4 of the Pittsburgh Steelers is tackled by Mike Hughes #21 of the Atlanta Falcons.
His main issues stemmed from a lack of efficient route running and failing to create separation, resulting in several contested drops and uncharacteristic miscommunications late in key possessions. If he wants to bounce back, he’ll need to clean up those focus drops—as Roethlisberger suggested—sharpen his route tree, and turn those high-volume targets into actual chunk plays instead of empty downs.
Week 2 won’t be easy for Metcalf
Roethlisberger’s comments regarding DK Metcalf’s mistakes will face their first test in a difficult trip to Foxborough. The Steelers will take on the New England Patriots in Week 2, with Christian Gonzalez, the highest-paid cornerback in the league, expected to be one of Metcalf’s primary defenders on the field.
Steelers’ schedule beyond the Patriots
After opening the season with an important win at Acrisure Stadium, the Steelers’ schedule appears promising in the early part of the season. Following their trip to New England, they will return home to host the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3 for a key divisional matchup.
They will then travel to Cleveland to face the Browns at Huntington Bank Stadium, while their Week 5 game will once again be at home, this time against the Indianapolis Colts. By then, will Metcalf have been able to regain some of his elite form?
