2026 has been a nightmare for DK Metcalf and by extension, a nightmare for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Metcalf's five drops this season are tied for second-most in the NFL, trailing only Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden's eight. On Sunday, the Steelers didn't need Metcalf to make a play late in the game to secure the win but it would have been nice to see him convert on a wide open deep ball from Aaron Rodgers, but instead he bobbled it and allowed Browns safety Denzel Ward to haul in the interception.
After the game, NFL analyst and former NFL quarterback Alex Smith didn't hold back on Metcalf, calling him a shell of his former self and he wonders if Rodgers will just quit targeting him if he can't start making catches.
“The problem
is who he is throwing the ball to," Smith said. "The best two players on the Pittsburgh offense is Jaylen Warren, the running back, and Rico ‘leave-no-Dowdle,’ their second running back. DK Metcalf, I’m sorry, he looks like a shell of himself. This guy cannot separate anymore. He can’t pull away on a go route. Can’t pull away on a slant. At some point, I think Aaron’s going to stop looking that way."
On the season, Metcalf has 33 receptions. Which sounds awful compared to five drops and it is. However, if you extrapolate that number to a 17-game season, Metcalf is on pace for 70 catches, which is 11 more than he had in a suspension-shorted 2025 season.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Former NFL QB Alex Smith says the quiet part out loud about Steelers WR DK Metcalf
