Oct 12, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson (10) warms up before the game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Roman Wilson Speaks Out After Steelers Benching

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated Dec 19, 2025 7:17 AM ET

Roman Wilson seemed to be headed down the right path for the Pittsburgh Steelers after a strong preseason, but the second-year wide receiver is now without a role as the team heads into the thick of the playoff race.

The 2024 third-round pick has been a healthy inactive for each of the past two weeks as Adam Thielen and Marquez Valdes Scantling have entered the fray for the Steelers, and Wilson is taking the news of his benching as a potential learning opportunity while being demoted to a fourth-stringer on the team's depth chart.

"Just trying to look at it from every positive aspect," Wilson said, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Brian Batko. "This is a good time for me to reflect on the rest of the season for me and how I've been improving - and just keeping that same mindset where every day is a good opportunity for me to build and grow and learn from guys like Adam, MVS, DK [Metcalf], Aaron [Rodgers]. It's been tough, but I'm trying to look at it as a big blessing and another opportunity to grow."

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Wilson's Season

Wilson was set up to have an immediate impact as a rookie in 2024, but he ended up logging only five snaps in the regular season, all of which came in his debut vs. the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6.

He then suffered a hamstring injury ahead of Week 7 that prematurely ended his year, but there was still some optimism that Wilson would take a step forward in 2025.

After a productive preseason, during which he recorded 96 yards on four catches, Wilson was in position to earn regular snaps in a receiver room that was remarkably thin entering Week 1 beyond Metcalf.

Wilson got off to a slow start, catching just a single pass for seven yards over 44 offensive reps through Week 4, but he went on to post 159 yards on 11 receptions between Weeks 6 and 11.

He seemed to have cemented himself as a top ancillary option at receiver as a result over the likes of Scotty Miller and Ben Skowronek, but Thielen and Valdes-Scantling's presence has more or less made Wilson dispensable for the time being.

Where Does Wilson Go from Here?

Wilson is one of three receivers under contract for the Steelers in 2026 alongside Metcalf and Skowronek.

It's likely still too early to declare that Wilson has no future with the organization, but he has yet to show anything that would make it feel confident in what he'll bring to the table moving forward.

He was a Day 2 pick less than two years ago for a reason, but unless he takes major strides forward in relatively short amount of time, Wilson could soon be on his way out of Pittsburgh.

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