Calvin Austin III Talks Goals and Facing Adversity

There’s no doubt about it, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III has had a rough first two seasons. He was out all of 2022 with a Lisfranc injury and in 2023 he recorded just 17 receptions for 180 yards and a touchdown, which was a 72-yarder against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3.

Austin really hasn’t showed much other than the long touchdown against the Raiders. The Steelers added wide receiver Quez Watkins and receiver/running back Cordarrelle Patterson this week. They also signed receiver Van Jefferson in free agency. So it appears that the front office has their doubts about Austin.

Austin isn’t discouraged, however. He plans on breaking out in Year 3. In a recent interview on the Chopping It Up With Swish podcast, Austin expressed that he wants to be a dominating receiver and not be known as just a speedster.

“In a broad sense, my goal is just to be a playmaker,” Austin said while getting his haircut at the barbershop. “Real deal, show what I can do every time and anytime the ball is in my hands. … I want to real deal put that time, that work in to where when I’m going to camp, I’m gonna dominate, you feel me? Because I did everything, I put in all the time, resources, effort, and I’m real deal prepared.”

Austin missing his entire rookie season certainly hasn’t helped in his development. Last year was essentially his first season. Austin talked about dealing with the adversity that the injury caused and how Mike Tomlin helped him.

“Bro, man, obviously my faith in God helped me through that for sure. That was tough, man, ’cause that was the last thing I’m thinking would happen. I got goals I’m setting,” Austin said.

“When that happened, man, my pops obviously, for sure, held me down, my whole family, my mom, too. Just having my family support definitely helped. The Steelers organization itself, too. Coach T, he’s a real one, man. He met with me the next day after I found out I was gonna have to have surgery. He met with me, talked to me, and was like telling me, ‘We believe in you’ and stuff. We was just talking, he was encouraging me, reassuring me and stuff.

” … Make sure you stay ready. That’s what real deal made me not even have a chance to phase out or get discouraged and stuff because I’m like, I still need to go and learn everything. Watch the game. So when I come next year, I feel like, ‘Oh, I look like I haven’t missed it.'”