Steelers' Calvin Austin Taking Step Forward in Third Season

Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Calvin Austin is taking some intense coaching in order to get ready for a massive season.

Nov 12, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports / Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have a Diontae Johnson-sized void at wide receiver after the team shipped Johnson off to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson. In the absence of a clear-cut No. 2 receiver on the roster, one in-house option entering his third year as a pro is trying to take advantage.

Calvin Austin III, a former fourth-round pick of the Steelers out of Memphis in 2022, spent his offseason on the field, working with Johnson and wide receivers trainer, Delfonte Diamond. Diamond has worked with stars like Stefon Diggs, Ceedee Lamb, Tank Dell, Johnson and others and this summer he tried to work some similar magic with Austin.

"A lot in my routes, my snap-down, my efficiency in and out of my breaks," Austin said when asked about his offseason training regimen. "I went to Houston to work with Delfonte [Diamond] a lot so I really kind of perfected it to where I wanted and felt like - especiallly watching some of my clips from last year, I felt like it was something I could improve on."

And it's a good thing that Austin was so focused on the finer details of the receiver position this summer because the arrival of new position coach Zach Azzanni has left little room for imperfections, Austin said.

"He don't play that. ... He's that coach that mediocrity and him don't really mix. If you're just trying to come in and just cruise on in - nah, that ain't going to happen. It's going to be a clash because he's going to get the best out of you," Austin said of Azzanni. "It kind of reminds me of college and how my coach, Coach [Mike] Norvell was at the beginning because he was one that was like, he wanted the perfection every day and it got to the point that it's all we expected of ourselves, walkthrough or regardless. Every time now that I'm out on the field, I'm thinking 'Oh, my stance,' just little stuff like that is the stuff that he hones in on to make a complete receivers room."

Austin has shown flashes of explosive potential with the ball in his hands, but consistency has been hard to come by for him. He spent his rookie season on injured reserve and came back to find a pass-catching lineup crowded by Johnson, George Pickens, Allen Robinson, Pat Friermuth and others.

The offense has opened up with some big names no longer in Pittsburgh and a new offensive coordinator installed. Austin doesn't quite know yet what the 2024 season holds for him, but reamains determined and confident he'll make an impact no matter where they play him.

"Within this offense, wherever it falls that I'll be, I'm definitely comfortable with it," Austin said. "Anytime the ball is in my hands or I'm running down the field, I'm cooking."

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