Steelers' DK Metcalf Needs More Than Big Ben's Advice

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a rough spot when it comes to their offense. The offense has put up a single touchdown in two games, and they've looked anything like the improved offense head coach Mike McCarthy promised.

One of the biggest questions facing him and the Steelers now, is how do they get wide receiver DK Metcalf back to an elite status? Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger offered a simple suggestion on his Footbahlin' podcast, telling Metcalf to "just be you," as he tries to get out of this slump.

"If I was talking to DK, I would say, 'DK, let me ask you a question. How many balls have you caught in your life?'" Roethlisberger asked. "You know how to do it. Don't overthink it. Just play. Just be you."

Respectfully to the future Hall of Fame QB, I don't think a little pep talk is what the $30+ million receiver needs to turn the page and reset. It's a wonderful sentiment, but perhaps a better way to get Metcalf back on track is a reminder of his weekly game check. Maybe that could help ignite a return to normalcy and help the Steelers find life on offense.

What Are We Doing Here?

DK Metcalf is 28 years old and will turn 29 before the end of the regular season. He's played seven full seasons in the NFL, and is two games into the eighth campaign of his career. He's reached 900 receiving yards in all but one year in the league, the exception being his first season with the Steelers, and reached the end zone at least five times per campaign.

In his career, Metcalf's abilities are well-known and documented. He's quicker than anyone who is 6'4 and 235 pounds should be. He's physical in space and can bully a defensive back, and he has an extremely high level of athleticism.

His weaknesses and gaps are just as well-known, unfortunately. He's not a true contested ball catcher, so tossing up those passes to him isn't a guaranteed reception like logic suggests. He's also had a noted reputation for dropping passes since entering the league. It hasn't been the defining part of his game, but his seasons with the Seattle Seahawks were just as herky-jerky, to use head coach Mike McCarthy's phrase, when it came to catching the ball.

So, forgive me for balking at the idea that an eight-year veteran needs a gentle reminder of his worth to get back on track.

Sep 13, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Dk Metcalf (4) lines up against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Metcalf Is Who He Is

The thing that doesn't quite make sense about encouraging Metcalf to "just be you," is the assumption that he has some untapped level to return to, when in reality he's not performing that far off from his career stat lines.

According to data from Pro Football Reference, his career catch percentage is 59.8%. That statistic is a rudimentary data point, admittedly, tallied by dividing the number of receptions by the number of targets, but the consistency with which Metcalf has produced in this category paints a clear picture. His best season in terms of catch percentage came in 2020, when he hauled in 64.3% of the 129 targets the Seahawks afforded him.

But catch percentage is a product of quarterback and wide receiver working in tandem, perhaps a better statistic is drop rate. That doesn't help Metcalf either. Pro Football Reference credits Metcalf 44 career drops in the NFL a drop rate of 5.2%. The fewest drops he's recorded in a season happened twice with the Seahawks, recording four dropped passes in 2021 and 2024. Last season, he dropped five passes in his debut campaign with Pittsburgh.

This year, his two drops on 19 targets have ballooned his drop rate, skyrocketing it up to 10.5%. Now, that rate will drop as the season progresses, but Metcalf has at least two more drops in his system before the season ends.

But sure, let's just give him a tap on the back and keep feeding him, as Rodgers told reporters after their Week 2 loss. The reality is that the Steelers are already telling Metcalf to "just be you," and it's not really working. That can change in Week 3, but right now, the Steelers' top wideout needs a startling wake-up call.

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