“I Stayed in the Shadows” - Calvin Austin III Proudly Earns Starting Role in Pittsburgh

For Calvin Austin III, nothing about this moment feels accidental.

After years of battling injuries, waiting behind veterans, and grinding through special teams snaps with little spotlight, the former fourth-round pick has finally been named a starter in Pittsburgh’s offense. And he’s not taking it lightly.

"Nothing about this journey was easy. I stayed in the shadows, put in the work, and now I’m proud to finally call myself a starter in Pittsburgh," Austin said following minicamp.

Those words carry weight. Drafted in 2022 out of Memphis, Austin entered the league with blazing 4.32 speed and electric college tape-but a foot injury wiped out his rookie season. When he finally returned, he had to fight for touches behind bigger names and more experienced targets. Yet every time he stepped on the field-whether catching deep balls or returning punts—he flashed the kind of explosiveness that makes defenses panic.

In 2024, Austin delivered when it mattered. He posted 548 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns, including a 73-yard punt-return TD that electrified Acrisure Stadium. Coaches took notice, and in 2025, he's been elevated to a full-time WR2 role next to George Pickens.

What makes Austin’s story resonate isn’t just his speed—it’s his patience. It’s the quiet professionalism. The understanding that in Pittsburgh, you earn your name snap by snap, not by hype. And he did exactly that.

Now, as the Steelers chase postseason ambitions behind Aaron Rodgers and a reshaped offense, Calvin Austin III is no longer a name buried on the depth chart. He’s part of the plan. Part of the mission.

And if you ask him, it’s right where he belongs.