PITTSBURGH — Calvin Austin III didn't hold back. The Pittsburgh Steelers receiver caught a screen pass from Mason Rudolph during the team's Sunday-morning practice and turned on the jets, sprinting down the right sideline virtually untouched.
If that's not enough evidence that Austin is fully recovered from his abdominal injury, he made a grab on an intermediate route later on, ducked under a defender and dipped to where his knee almost touched the grass before bursting out of it.
Austin confirmed both plays after the session at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
"That's a short one," Austin said of the screen. "As a receiver, you put your body in a lot of different positions, contorting through the air, in the air, diving, all of that. So (there's) still some stuff I definitely want to continue to just get reps at it. … But that did feel good just to get back up to speed."
For Austin, up to speed means breezing by defenders larger in stature. He ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2022. He was an all-conference and All-American track athlete at Memphis, running the 4×100-meter relay, among other events.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III during a game against the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 21, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
"We've definitely got a lot of speed on the team, especially in the wideout room," Austin said. "I think (if) you ask some other guys, they'll bet on themselves. I'll always bet on me, but I think we'd have a pretty good 4×1 team."
With his quick-twitch ability, Austin brings a different skillset than DK Metcalf , a tall, physical deep threat on the perimeter.
"A lot of the stuff is just reactionary, God-given talent," Austin said. "When you're coming back and (haven't had) that time to practice, those are some of the things that you want to go ahead and have happen in practice. Get in those moments catching low balls, high balls, whatever. Just putting yourself in different positions so when you get in the game, it's back to second nature."
Austin had suffered the injury in training camp and was absent for a few weeks.
"When it first happened, it was pretty tough and annoying just bracing and just any type of contraction," Austin said. "I had a great plan with the training staff and everything and I'm out here feeling 100%, so I'm a full-go ahead."
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers WR Calvin Austin Blazing Again After 'Annoying' Injury
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