PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – No doubt Calvin Austin heard it. He hears the slights towards him, he sometimes even makes them up to keep the fire burning. With the calls of the Steelers needing or not having a number two receiver, Austin went out in the season opener Sunday in New Jersey and had the second most catches (4) and yards (70) and a touchdown.
“With me, with what I’ve been through in life with adversity, everything I went through in camp was God preparing me for this season to be something special,” Austin told 93.7 The Fan.
The 26-year-old was out most of training camp with an injury. This was after he was tabbed the number two receiver by Steelers coaches coming out of team mini-camp. He just continued to do what he’s done, persevere. Austin said the injury made him even hungrier for 2025.
“In this league, if you are not getting better, you are going to get passed up and looking for a job,” Austin told 93.7 The Fan. “I took the necessary step to continue to show the world the type of receiver I am.”
After having his first year wiped out due to injury, Austin had 17 catches in his first season and 36 last year for 548 yards averaging 15.2 yards per reception and four touchdowns. What I think really impressed head coach Mike Tomlin is even though he didn’t have a first NFL season, he didn’t fall as far behind as some might.
“He's a guy that was really limited in his rookie year due to injury, and in spite of
that saw dramatic improvement between Year 1 and Year 2,” Tomlin said. “He's such a good professional, has such a good relationship with the game, it was reasonable to expect that to continue.”
“DK gets a lot of attention, schematic attention. So, it created some real opportunities for Calvin, and I know he's game and ready for that.”
“I know my progression at receiver since I learned the position in college (2019),” Austin said. “Each year after that I’ve consistently got better. Not getting better, I don’t care about what anyone else thinks, not getting better is letting myself down. That’s what I care about the most, I don’t want to let myself down.”
At 5’9”, 162 pounds coming out of a non-Power Four program at Memphis doubts were there. That’s why even with his speed and special teams abilities he lasted until the 138th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. As he put it, Austin said he’s had a chip permanently placed on his shoulder.
“It’s embedded in me,” Austin told 93.7 The Fan. “Not anything I can explain or talk about too much. I’ve always been like that. My dad instilled that in me what I was young. The way I carry myself. The way I approach any competitive situation, I feel like folks are disrespecting. If they are not, I’m always going to feel like that.”
“I going to go out and not necessarily prove people wrong, but prove to myself and the people that believe in me, prove them right and show them I am capable of being that player I know I am.”
And in a contract year, Austin says he will control what he can control and in the first test Sunday, it was impressive.