The youngest member of Pittsburgh’s three-headed monster at tight end last year, Darnell Washington has signed a long-term extension to remain with the team, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The Steelers will retain the massive weapon on a four-year, $42MM deal.
Measuring in as a 6-foot-7, 260-pound five-star recruit out of Las Vegas, Washington committed to Georgia and arrived in Athens with lofty expectations. After two years, though, Washington had only notched 17 receptions for 320 yards and a touchdowns in 21 games played; he missed some time after undergoing surgery for a minor foot fracture. Staying healthy enough to appear in 15 games as a junior, Washington finished 2022 with 28 receptions for 454 yards and two touchdowns before declaring for the draft and landing in Pittsburgh as a third-round pick.
So far, Washington has shown an improved ability to remain on the field, appearing in 50 of a possible 51 games in Years 1-3 and starting 29 of those contests. Over his first two years in the NFL, he was used primarily as a blocking tight end. Over that time, he saw 804 blocking snaps to 330 passing assignments, recording 26 catches for 261 yards and a touchdown over 34 games. In 2025, Washington saw a much more balanced workload, splitting his time fairly evenly between both responsibilities and reeling in 31 passes for 364 yards and a touchdown.
Breaking news, refresh for updated information…
This content was brought to you by: Pro Football Rumors
