{"id":52724,"date":"2025-06-02T02:51:15","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T02:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=52724"},"modified":"2025-06-02T02:51:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T02:51:15","slug":"breaking-steelers-receiver-hoping-to-resemble-hines-ward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=52724","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING: Steelers Receiver Hoping To Resemble Hines Ward.."},"content":{"rendered":"

Steelers Receiver Hoping To Follow Franchise Icon’s Footsteps<\/h1>\n
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed receiver Robert Woods to add some grittiness to the receiving corps.<\/div>\n
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The\u00a0Pittsburgh Steelers\u00a0willingly made themselves less talented on offense when they traded away receiver George Pickens just months after acquiring\u00a0Seattle Seahawks star DK Metcalf.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Steelers\u2019 decision was more than a matter of future draft capital and an extension that seemed increasingly unlikely. Given that Pickens wore out his welcome, it was a move underlined by Pittsburgh\u2019s culture, too.<\/p>\n

And if there\u2019s a receiver who embodies head coach Mike Tomlin\u2019s vision, it\u2019s one of Pickens\u2019 replacements, Robert Woods.<\/p>\n

As a versatile receiver built on winning along the margins, Woods is more than his production. Now, the Steelers receiver is hoping to follow franchise icon Hines Ward\u2019s footsteps.<\/p>\n

\u201cHines was getting involved in the blocking,\u201d Woods said, via\u00a0The Athletic\u2019s Mike DeFabo. \u201cBut when you really watch him going across the middle, making big catches, taking hits, just being a physical receiver, running with the football, fighting for extra yards, I think that\u2019s the mentality, that\u2019s the mindset of the team (we\u2019re) trying to get back to in the receiver room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Woods was targeted 30 times for just 20 receptions and 203 yards. He\u2019s currently penciled into a starting role alongside Calvin Austin III and Metcalf. But with Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek, and Scotty Miller vying for playing time, it seems more likely that Woods plays an on-and-off role in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith\u2019s offense.<\/p>\n

Given his willingness to block, it\u2019s easy to see him carving out snaps on early downs and aiding the run game. By the looks of it, he\u2019s craving that opportunity.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think a lot of guys are fake tough guys,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen you get hit, you kind of really see who\u2019s really tough.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust being able to deliver the blow every single time. Obviously, you get a guy on the sideline, you hit him once, (he) might come in a little different the next time, and that\u2019s when you\u2019re able to fight for those extra yards and get those first downs. And it\u2019s a long game, and guys don\u2019t want to be hit for four quarters, and you see that. And I think if you have a whole team who is delivering the blow every single play, I think you\u2019ll see teams start turning down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Woods is far from the\u00a0Los Angeles Rams\u2019 premier ancillary target. But his nuance as a receiver, trustworthiness at the catch point, and general tenacity give him some staying power.<\/p>\n

In\u00a0Pittsburgh, Woods has a chance to embody the culture that the Steelers are trying to reinforce. With instability under center and turnover at receiver, that could prove to be a stabilizing force in 2025.<\/p>\n

\u201cFinally getting a chance to run with the football and being physical that way, I always wanted to deliver the blow and not be the one receiving it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Steelers Receiver Hoping To Follow Franchise Icon’s Footsteps The Pittsburgh Steelers signed receiver Robert Woods to add some grittiness to the receiving corps. The\u00a0Pittsburgh Steelers\u00a0willingly made themselves… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":52725,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52724","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\nBREAKING: Steelers Receiver Hoping To Resemble Hines Ward.. - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=52724\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING: Steelers Receiver Hoping To Resemble Hines Ward.. - 24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Steelers Receiver Hoping To Follow Franchise Icon’s Footsteps The Pittsburgh Steelers signed receiver Robert Woods to add some grittiness to the receiving corps. 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