Steelers' Dynamic Speedster Calvin Austin III Can Be The Electric Returner The Team Hasn't Had In Years

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been on the hunt for a weapon that they can unleash in the return game and they may have just found themselves one. Calvin Austin III has used his stunning speed to seemingly win over Head Coach Mike Tomlin and solidify his place as the punt returner the team has been looking for.

Austin ran a 4.32 in the 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine and has been using that speed on both special teams and offense to make some highlight reel plays and firm up his roster spot. In the first preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he showed what that dash time can mean in a real game. While lined up on the outside, Austin torched second-year defensive back, Don Gardner and quarterback, Mason Rudolph dropped a ball perfectly into the bread basket for Austin to do the rest and complete a 67-yard touchdown. 

In the second exhibition game played at Acrisure Stadium against the Buffalo Bills, Austin made his presence as a returner known very quickly. The first-team defense forced a quick three-and-out against Josh Allen and the Bills top offensive players. Austin waited patiently for the punt and then sliced and diced through the defenders before the punter slowed him down enough for a gang of Bills to help finish the tackle. It went down as a 54-yard return, which is better than the combined total of the longest returns in 2022 for Gunner Olszewski (20) and Steven Sims (24). 

Steelers insider for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Ray Fittipaldo joined the Cook and Joe Show on 93.7 The Fan on Friday morning. He gave his assessment of some surprise potential roster cuts and an overall evaluation of what the team did in the preseason. Cook was particularly interested in his thoughts on Austin who he said has looked like maybe the best punt returner they've had since Antonio Brown. 

"Antonio [Brown] was great and then they got scared to put him back there because he was so valuable to the offense," he said. "Austin has looked really good. After the 21-yarder [against the Falcons], Tomlin was really stocked."

He elaborated that, for a team built around the defense that wants opposing offenses to be punting often, it's a game-changer to have a returner like Austin back there who can flip the field position. He added that he expects Austin to be a player used on offense as well. Steeler Nation is well-accustomed to Offensive Coordinator, Matt Canada's affinity for the jet sweep, while Austin is starting to prove he is much more than just a gadget player, he also seems tailored to running those kinds of plays Canada is famous (or infamous) for. 

Can Steelers' Austin Solidify A Place In Franchise Punt Return History 

The gold standard for returners in Pittsburgh is legendary defensive back, Rod Woodson. He holds records for the most punt return yards (2,362), and kick return yards (4,894). He had three punts returned for a score and a pair of kickoffs that he took all the way to the house. 

Some of the other big names on the list include Brown, Antwaan Randle El and Santonio Holmes. Like Brown, their opportunities in the return game diminished once they became bigger focal points on the offense. Another name that could be brought up to a lesser extent in this same conversation is Diontae Johnson. 

Johnson was named to the AP All-Pro Second Team as a punt returner in his rookie season in 2019. He still maintained a pivotal role on the offense as the top target on the team for a rotating cast of Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges. During that season, Johnson posted 12 returns for 248 yards for a league-leading 12.4-yard average. He also posted the longest punt return of the season league-wide of 85 yards on Pittsburgh's last punt return touchdown in a regular season game. 

Austin is technically in his rookie season so it's unfair to put expectations of being one of the best in team history on him after three exciting preseason showings. His talent and speed at the position, though certainly had Cook wondering if he could run into that conversation someday.