PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Signed to be the Steelers next kick returner when the team decided not to re-sign Ray-Ray McCloud, Gunner Olszewski could find himself starting not only on special teams, but at wide receiver.
The 25-year-old had only nine career catches in three seasons in New England. And it's not like the Patriots couldn't use the help. Yet they never went to him. From the start of training camp, eyes started to open that Olszewski could not only catch kicks, but catch passes.
It all culminated in the first preseason game. Third down and six on the first drive of the season, Trubisky found Olszewski and he turned upfield for 25 yards. Very next play, on a well-run route, Olszewski caught the first touchdown of the year from 13 yards out.
Where did that come from in his game? While he did return punts and kickoffs in college, he was an all-conference defensive player at Bemidji State. Never once played receiver.
"Paying attention, working hard," Olszewski said Wednesday of how he's grown. "That's always the key when you step into somewhere new. You just got to get with the flow. You can't do your own thing. You just learn as much as you can. Being here in the Spring helps, plus OTAs and training camp. The coaches here have done a great job and so have the players."
With the shoulder injury to Diontae Johnson, Olszewski is the back-up slot receiver, saying he'll be prepared for whatever opportunity he gets. The Texas native believes getting a fresh start with the Steelers wiped out the stigma of not growing up a receiver.
"The more you can do always helps," Olszewski said. "You can't ever come in complacent about anything, you are always trying to expand your role. Go from the bottom up, whatever your role is you can always improve and try to get more. That's what I'm trying to do."
He says he's in a room with a lot of freakish athletes that all do something special. If he doesn't do it as a receiver, Olszewski named First-Team All-Pro in 2020 on special teams averaging 17.3 yards a punt return and 23.2 yards per kickoff.
"It's a great time to get ahead, no one has shown what they can do in the preseason," Olszewski said of vanilla kick units. "If you can give your team an edge in special teams that definitely helps you get out of ballgames with a 'W' the first four weeks of the season."
It worked last year in Buffalo as Miles Killebrew blocked a punt that changed the 2021 season opener. Can it happen again in Cincinnati? Olszewski could be that guy.
