‘He’s outstanding’: WR Calvin Austin III impresses Steelers coaches

New Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni is known for his tough-love style of play. He cares about his players and wants to get the best out of them. Gets expected results from WR Calvin Austin III. Speaking to reporters after Tuesday’s minicamp drills, Azzanni praised Austin’s progress over the past two months.

“He is outstanding. This is a guy who has gone from here to here in the last eight weeks,” Azzanni said on the team’s YouTube channel, holding one hand above the other to signify progress. “It was really fun to watch. He is a worker, he is attentive, he is diligent. He wants to be trained. You can see it.”

Also, don’t mistake Azzanni for providing a trivial set of positive updates. During the interview, he complimented George Pickens, but noted that he was still developing and improving. He discussed getting on Roman Wilson’s butt every day to maximize his game. Azzanni said the Steelers receivers didn’t have a good day at practice because they were entering the more pressing part of the year, the final practices before training camp. But he spoke highly of Austin in every respect.

“His game (has gone up). I’m really excited for his season if he continues to practice the way he’s been practicing. “

This is a critical third year for Calvin Austin. His debut season was interrupted by a foot injury. He returned healthy for the 2023 season and had a rushing 72 yards against the Las Vegas Raiders. But the rest of Austin’s season was uneventful. Diontae Johnson’s return reduced his playing time, and Austin finished with just five receptions in the Steelers’ last 13 games.

He enters the roster bubble this year and competes with many other receivers for playing time. There’s rookie Wilson, as well as vets Quez Watkins, Scotty Miller and Van Jefferson. While it’s early days, it looks like Austin is making an impression and could enter training camp with an advantage in terms of work and roster space. He’ll need to play well once the pads kick in and show he’s more than just an outfield speedster.

According to Azzanni, Austin is known as a hard worker, willing to do the little things to help his team win. This will endear him to the coaching staff and give him insider tips on how to secure a place in the 53-player squad.