DK Metcalf: A Season in Review

There were some games when it looked like Rodgers and Metcalf were in sync. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for most of the year. Too often, opponents made DK Metcalf a non-factor by bracketing him with a safety over the top or by rolling coverage to his side of the field.

DK Metcalf finished the 2025 season with a career low of 850 receiving yards. For the third team in his career, Metcalf finished under 60% in catching percentage. These numbers aren’t terrible on their own, but for a player who’s getting paid like an elite receiver, they are very underwhelming. That being said, there were some high points for Metcalf this season.

He and Rodgers had great synergy in their week 14 game against Baltimore. Metcalf had a season high of 148 yards receiving that day. He won his matchup all day long against Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey. Even more important than that, he forced the Ravens to adjust their coverages, which opened up looks for guys like Jaylen Warren. Games like this were what the Steelers were expecting out of DK Metcalf regularly.

Metcalf’s over high point came in week 4 against Minnesota. In that game, Metcalf had 126 receiving yards. Eighty of those yards came on a first-quarter touchdown which showcased Metcalf’s burst and breakaway speed. If DK Metcalf had more games as he did against Baltimore and Minnesota, the conversation around him would be very different.

Struggled Against Winning Teams

The Steelers went 3-6 against winning teams in 2025, and Metcalf’s production in those games reflects that. In those nine games, Metcalf averaged just 41.6 yards per game. It coincided with a significant drop in Metcalf’s production across the board in the second half of the year. He caught just one touchdown pass after week 8. As the season went along, teams were more successful at taking him out of the game. In DK Metcalf’s last five games against winning teams, he averaged less than 35 yards per game.

Perhaps his lowest point came in the playoffs against Houston. Metcalf got completely shut down by Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter. This was after he served a two-game suspension for punching a fan against the Lions. What makes this even worse is that one of the reasons the Steelers traded George Pickens was because of the drama he caused. The Steelers essentially shipped out George Pickens for an older, worse, and more expensive version of George Pickens.

DK Metcalf is an incredibly gifted player, and he always has been. Unfortunately, he has not lived up to his potential since coming into the league. It’ll be interesting to see how Metcalf looks in a different offense under Mike McCarthy in 2026. Steelers fans can only hope it goes smoother for Metcalf than it did in 2025.