‘I Was Literally Like Running For My Life,’ Calvin Austin Recalls Welcome To NFL Moment

Pittsburgh Steelers WR Calvin Austin III was drafted in 2021 but, due to injury, was not able to make his debut until Week One of the 2023 season. That meant that his first real NFL game action came against the vaunted San Francisco 49ers defense, and that game was not good for Austin or the Steelers.

The Steelers had a nightmare game that day, losing to the 49ers 30-7, and Austin did not fare much better, catching six passes for 37 yards. However, Austin entered that game excited and said it was a dream come true for him to finally be able to achieve his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL.

As quickly as his dream came true, so did his “Welcome to the NFL moment.” Austin was on The Ed Block CourageCast and told his “Welcome to the NFL moment,” which just so happened to be his first play.

“When I got in, I had got a jet sweep, and it was versus the 49ers, and as soon as I caught it, I saw nothing but like white jerseys,” said Austin. “Like, it was almost like they knew what was coming. So I got it, and then I saw, I forgot who the end was, but then I saw Fred Warner flash, and then, like another [player], the safety, I forgot his name, and he flashed across my face. But like I made a couple of them like miss and got back to the line of scrimmage…I remember coming back to the sideline thinking, I’m like, ‘Man, if this how it’s gonna be.’ As soon as I got it, I see just nothing but jerseys flashing. I felt like I was literally like running for my life. Every move I did was reactionary, like no time for thinking or planning. That’s how quick it happened.”

Calvin Austin’s first play was listed as a completion for -1 yards, as he could not escape the fast and vicious San Francisco defense. Clelin Ferrell and Tashuan Gipson were credited with corralling Austin on the jet sweep attempt. That was the first of plenty of negative plays that day for Pittsburgh, as the 49ers were ready for everything the Steelers tried to do.

Calvin Austin said that on his first play, it was like the 49ers knew what was coming, and that was something that a lot of people felt during Matt Canada’s tenure as Steelers offensive coordinator. Austin is a fast player. He ran a 4.32 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in 2021, so everyone knew the Steelers would try and get him the ball in space. Running what is basically a jet sweep on the first play Austin was in for was almost comically predictable.

Not having success against the 49ers last season is not something to be too ashamed of. Not many teams did. But for the Steelers to be so predictable to where they run a jet sweep to Austin was disappointing, especially with how successful of a preseason the Steelers and Austin had last year.

Austin’s de facto rookie year did not go so well, as he totaled 17 receptions for 180 yards and one touchdown. WR Allen Robinson II saw more playing time than Austin as reports have come out that the team was a fan of Robinson’s blocking ability, something Austin was not seen to be as good at as Robinson.

First seasons can be hard, and Calvin Austin had to adjust to a new league last season, even if it was technically not his rookie year. This season will be a big season for Austin, and he should be able to get some more opportunities with WR Diontae Johnson gone. Austin must show he can stretch the field and be more than a gadget player. It should help him that the offense is not running a playbook created by Canada, but Austin also needs to improve a bit with route running and be more physical.

Hopefully, for both Austin’s sake and Steelers fan’s sake, his first snap next season isn’t a jet sweep.