Steelers WR Calvin Austin III Still Feels He Has Much to Prove: ‘Not Glamouring Over Last Year'
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III had the best season of his NFL career last season, but he still feels like he has a lot to prove heading into Year 4.
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'Not glamouring over last year. I remember the fact that I'm a walk on,' Austin said. 'I have notes in my phone, texts and stuff. I remember people didn't think I would be here. My family, my dad, some of my coaches were the only people to believe in me. So that's what really is my motivation year after year and is why going into this season, it's not anything different or new for me.'
Austin has steadily improved every step of his football career. He started his collegiate career at the University of Memphis as a walk-on and slowly earned himself a role. Over his last two seasons, he had 137 catches for 2,202 yards and 19 touchdowns, finishing among the top receiving leaders in Memphis history.
The start to Austin's NFL career was not ideal, either. He missed the entirety of his rookie season due to a foot injury and then posted just 17 catches for 180 yards and one touchdown in Year 2.
However, he finally broke out in 2024, recording a career-high 36 catches for 548 yards and four touchdowns.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III in a game against the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 17, 2024 — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Those aren't elite numbers, by any means, but it was a step in the right direction for him to have the career he envisions at the next level.
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Austin will have a chance to continue building upon that production in 2025, too. Pittsburgh's wide receiver room is quite thin once again after trading George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys last month.
He knows that, which is why he plans to keep his head down just as he always has and prove his doubters wrong.
'All I know is working,' Austin said. 'I feel like that speaks to the core of me and why I feel like just, in general, I've never reached a point to where I'm like, 'OK, I think I'm doing pretty good.' There's always something more I can improve on. That's the only way I've got to be where I'm at.'
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers WR Calvin Austin III Still Feels He Has Much to Prove: 'Not Glamouring Over Last Year'
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