Steelers' Roman Wilson Hyped by Mike McCarthy Ahead of 2026 NFL Season, 'Working His Tail Off'

It hasn't taken long for third-year wide receiver Roman Wilson to make a positive impression on new Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the start of Steelers training camp later this month, McCarthy noted that he likes what he has seen out of Wilson thus far.

"He's been here from Day 1," McCarthy said. "He was one of the first men to reach out and clearly ask what the expectation was of him, how I view him, how I saw him fitting in as the roles X, F and Z. He's doing the work. He's had a great offseason. I just need him to keep showing up and keep working his tail off because he's got a skill set, there's a lot there to work with. Roman's done a really nice job."

A third-round draft pick out of Michigan in 2024, Wilson struggled to make much of an impact over his first two seasons under then-head coach Mike Tomlin.

Ankle and hamstring injuries limited Wilson to just one game as a rookie, and he failed to make a catch.

Wilson bounced back to appear in 13 games, including four starts, last season, but he wasn't a huge part of the offense, finishing with 12 receptions for 166 yards and two touchdowns.

Although Wilson is clearly behind DK Metcalf and offseason acquisition Michael Pittman Jr. on Pittsburgh's wide receiver depth chart, he figures to compete during training camp and the preseason to be quarterback Aaron Rodgers' WR3.

Wilson's toughest competition for that role will likely be rookie second-round pick Germie Bernard, who racked up 64 grabs for 862 yards and seven touchdowns at Alabama last season.

While Tomlin enjoyed enormous success and never had a losing season while with the Steelers, it can be argued that a coaching change was exactly what Wilson needed.

McCarthy brings a fresh set of eyes and a new perspective to the table, and if Wilson continues to build upon what he has already shown McCarthy, there is no reason why he can't be a consistent part of the offense in his third NFL campaign.