Van Jefferson caught the short touchdown pass from Russell Wilson in the fourth quarter last Sunday and sprinted toward midfield, football in hand, scanning the opposing sideline for his dad.
Shawn Jefferson is a wide receivers coach for the New York Jets. The two joked beforehand about an elaborate celebration should Van snag his first score of the season.
“I was looking for him but couldn’t find him,” Jefferson said. “He said he would pay my fine. I was like, ‘OK, cool.’ ”
The Jeffersons have done this before. It’s actually the fourth time Van has scored against one of his father’s employers. But this one carried a little different weight to it.
After the Steelers have shown various levels of interest in wide receivers dating back to the offseason, no move has been made.
The receiving calculus has also changed with Russell Wilson under center, the quarterback talking this week about wanting to spread the ball around even more than he did in his Steelers debut against the Jets.
“It’s part of our game to facilitate the ball to different games,” Wilson said. “It’s a big part of how I always think about it — everybody’s live, everybody’s working to get open. We have a lot of great receivers doing that.”
It wouldn’t shock me if it happened, as eight weeks into the season, the Steelers offense has already evolved in so many ways.
There was Najee Harris getting bottled up and called “soft” ... then running like a man possessed: physical, athletic, breaking off long runs, tremendous stuff. Jaylen Warren got involved last week for the first time, too, with 12 carries for 44 yards.
“It’s always fun being out there with the boys,” Warren told me this week. “We’re playing well as a team. We’re enjoying it.”
It’s also been fun to see Darnell Washington evolve as a pass catcher. With MyCole Pruitt out for a large chunk of the first eight games, Washington has shown he’s capable of more than blocking and finished with four catches for 36 yards against the Jets.
“He’s definitely a lot more confident in that part of his game,” Pat Freiermuth told me as a giant crowd surrounded Washington at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “That’s just part of growing up in the league.”
The offensive line has absorbed plenty of injuries, and George Pickens’ year has certainly been filled with data points, good and bad — the best coming on “Sunday Night Football” in a masterful game against the Jets.
But with Jefferson, a complementary wide receiver for the Rams when they won Super Bowl LVI (50 catches, 802 yards, six touchdowns in the 2021 season), I’m curious to see whether that touchdown against his old man might spark something.
“I think every week it’s growing,” Jefferson said of his role in the offense. “I do what I’m told to do and what I’m coached to do.
“[Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith] has done a great job getting people opportunities. You can see how the offense is moving. Whatever coach wants me to do, that’s what I’m going to do and do it the best I can.”
It might be the perfect time to see how far the Steelers can stretch Jefferson when the Giants visit Acrisure Stadium on Monday night.
Not only have the Giants struggled — they’re admittedly halfway decent against the pass — but the NFL trade deadline will be here on Nov. 5. Do the Steelers need to address the position, or can they keep their draft picks?
I do like what Wilson said this week about spreading the ball around and involving different guys. He actually linked it to practice, occasionally rewarding guys for a strong week of work, but mostly wanting to feel like they’re a part of the plan.
It’s smart, especially to take attention away from Pickens (while simultaneously involving him) and to stop opponents from loading the box to try and shut down Harris and Warren.
But it becomes incumbent on those depth guys to get open and become viable options for Wilson — Jefferson, Calvin Austin III and even Scotty Wilson now that Roman Wilson is dealing with another injury.
“When you have multiple guys who can get open, it puts pressure on the defense and allows you to do more,” Austin told me. “That’s why we have to make sure we’re on our details and getting open.”
Jefferson does plenty that’s easy to like and respect. He began his Steelers tenure catching at least 300 extra balls every day after practice off the machine because members of the equipment staff told him it helped Antonio Brown.
This past week, when Jefferson found out he unknowingly left the locker room before talking to a group of reporters who had waited for him, he apologized profusely.
Then there’s the on-field stuff, things that don’t necessarily show up in the box score.
In addition to his touchdown, Jefferson had key blocks on safety Jalen Mills and cornerback Isaiah Oliver to spring Harris for long runs. His rub route essentially set a pick for Freiermuth on another long completion.
“He does a lot of the dirty work,” Pickens said.
Jefferson doesn’t mind that. He’s not looking for a bunch of attention and has been relatively fine with his target share (16) thus far, resulting in 10 catches for 77 yards. But the Steelers, whether it’s Jefferson or someone else, need more from that spot.
Can Jefferson build on his emotional moment and expand his role? We should find out more soon.
“Van runs great routes,” Pickens said. “That’s the first thing I knew about him. He could do a lot for us in the passing game, for sure.”
Concern for Tua
As Tua Tagovailoa returned to the Miami Dolphins 45 days after suffering at least his third concussion inside of two years, he did so among plenty of concern.
From family and teammates, obviously. But also from afar, from players who know Tagovailoa and once shared a locker room with him.
“I was there when he went through his first ones,” said Elandon Roberts, who played in Miami from 2020-22. “I just pray for him and wish him well.”
James Daniels declined to discuss anything specific to Tagovailoa, but he did back everything the NFL has done to make the game safer, most notably the Guardian cap Daniels wore before his season-ending injury.
“The helmets players wear now are the best-tested ones we’ve ever seen,” Daniels said. “The NFL is doing everything it can to reduce concussion risk.”
The whole thing makes me uncomfortable, honestly.
Tagovailoa obviously has a right to play; the NFL can’t prevent him from doing that. He’s also a husband and father, and the risk is real.
At minimum, I hope Tagovailoa takes what has been talked about in Miami to heart and protects himself better: sliding and living to fight another day.
I was also encouraged to read that the helmet Tagovailoa will wear essentially offers the same level of protection as a Guardian cap. But it’s a scary situation, one we can only hope has a positive ending for Tagovailoa and his family.
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and @JMackeyPG on X.
First Published: October 28, 2024, 9:30 a.m.
Updated: October 29, 2024, 2:07 a.m.