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Under offensive-minded head coach Mike McCarthy, Cam Heyward expects the Pittsburgh Steelers\u2019 offense to substantially grow in 2026. No matter what the offense looks like or how the pieces fit, Heyward thinks the unit will be more multiple and varied.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou look at what our offense was this year, and you say you have a one-two punch in the running game between Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren,\u201d Heyward said during a Tuesday interview with Fox Sports\u2019 Colin Cowherd on The Herd. \u201cThey\u2019ve done a really good job, and I thought it was a step up from last year. I look for that offense to just keep growing. You look for Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell to have more touches.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the first time Heyward has offered any substantial public comment on McCarthy\u2019s hire, only briefly mentioning it on his podcast last week.<\/p>\n
Gainwell and Warren became a solid one-two punch last season and added more variety than 2024\u2019s version of Najee Harris and Warren. Gainwell became one of the league\u2019s most active receiving running backs and led the team with 75 receptions. Both were more efficient and explosive and meshed well with QB Aaron Rodgers, who praised both throughout the season.<\/p>\n
Gainwell is a pending free agent and will be far more expensive to sign in 2026 than he was in 2025, but a similar role will provide proper return on investment. More touches than the combined 438 they had, 25.8 per game, might be tough to do. But if Pittsburgh\u2019s offense can simply stay on the field and run more plays in 2026, it\u2019s possible.<\/p>\n
Heyward expects the receivers to benefit, too.<\/p>\n
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\u201cYou look for DK Metcalf to have a lot more in his route tree,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot more favorable matchups where he is not just stuck on a No. 1 corner. Let\u2019s mix it around. Let\u2019s give him the ball in space.\u201d<\/p>\n
A nod to Metcalf\u2019s somewhat stagnant use as an outside receiver last season. His alignment and the offense\u2019s lack of a true No. 2 wide receiver allowed coverage to roll to Metcalf. This minimized his impact; in 15 games, he averaged less than four receptions and 57 yards per game. McCarthy could get more creative with him. And with a more talented receiver room, Metcalf could shine brighter in 2026.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s hard to tell if Heyward was critiquing the offense or just answering Cowherd\u2019s broad question over expectations for McCarthy\u2019s offense. It\u2019s not even cemented that Heyward will be part of that journey, as he seems to be deciding his future. No matter Heyward\u2019s role, if any, most expect the offense to improve. That could, in turn, improve the defense.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Under offensive-minded head coach Mike McCarthy, Cam Heyward expects the Pittsburgh Steelers\u2019 offense to substantially grow in 2026. No matter what the offense looks like or how… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":148805,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-148781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n