Coming off their biggest win of the season, Pittsburgh had to live through a scary postgame detour. After the 27-22 road victory over the Ravens, wide receiver DK Metcalf was pulled off the team flight and kept overnight in Baltimore, visiting a local hospital because of stomach pains that developed as the Steelers prepared to fly home.
Given the hard shot he took during the game, doctors wanted to rule out any internal damage before clearing him to travel, so Metcalf stayed behind at a hotel and returned to Pittsburgh the next day.
On Monday, Mike Tomlin eased a lot of nerves. Speaking to reporters, he said Metcalf is “moving in the right direction” and added that he doesn’t believe the issue will “jeopardize” the wideout’s availability for next week’s Monday Night Football matchup, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The message was clear: the team is still being cautious, but early signs point to good news.
That matters because Metcalf was the engine of Pittsburgh’s offense in Baltimore. With the run game stuck at just 34 rushing yards, he repeatedly bailed the unit out, finishing with seven catches for 148 yards, including a 52-yard bomb on the very first offensive snap.
In a game that swung the AFC North, his ability to win downfield gave Aaron Rodgers exactly the outlet he needed to attack a Ravens defense selling out against the short game.
Tomlin didn’t shy away from what this moment meant at quarterback either. After a week full of talk about his job security and Rodgers’ fractured left wrist, he summed up the whole calculation in one line: “go into business with Aaron Rodgers for days like Sunday.”
The 42-year-old answered that bet with his best performance of the season, going 23-of-34 for 284 yards, dropping chunk plays to Metcalf, Calvin Austin, and turning a short throw into a 39-yard score to Jaylen Warren.
If Metcalf’s recovery keeps trending the way Tomlin described, Pittsburgh’s offense should have its most dangerous weapon available when the Dolphins come to town on Monday night.
For a team that just clawed its way out of a skid and back into first place, keeping No. 14 on the field might be just as important as anything Rodgers does with his arm.
