Steelers WRs coach shares how team is operating amid Aiyuk rumors

Rumors continue to swirl around the Pittsburgh Steelers trading for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Most would argue that it would be a great move for Pittsburgh since it traded wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Panthers in March, but the team is operating like it won’t have him until that changes.

“I don’t talk about it at all,” wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni said. “I know where my job is, holding the whistle, get these guys that they get me to go real hard. That’s my job and whoever they put in that room, I’ll take them and we’ll do it.”

Among those in the Steelers current wide receiver room are George Pickens, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III, Quez Watkins, Scotty Miller and rookie Roman Wilson. 

While Pickens is the clear No. 1 option, Azzanni is happy with what he’s seen with the rest of the group thus far, too.

“All of them have been great, not just George,” Azzanni added. “I know how I am and I’m gonna be up their tail all the time and sometimes that’s not fun. My kids will tell you the same thing, but it’s my job to get these guys to go somewhere that they don’t think they can go.”

Still, Pittsburgh must decide who will complement Pickens as the No. 2 option. Jefferson, a second-round pick in 2020, seems to be the favorite.

“Van’s been great. He respects the game. He plays it the way it’s supposed to be played,” Azzanni stated. “He’s trying to create great habits. He’s extremely coachable. I can’t say enough good things about where he’s at as a player.”

However, the 28-year-old is coming off arguably his worst season in which he registered just 20 catches for 209 yards and zero touchdowns with the Rams (five games) and Falcons (12 games).

That’s why Jefferson decided to adopt former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown’s post-practice regime in what could be a make-it-or-break-it year for him.

“That’s all Van,” Azzanni finished. “That’s what I love about Van, he respects the game. He knows what he needs to do to get better and I think that’s awesome. When I had A.B., he was the same way.”

If Pittsburgh does trade for Aiyuk, it will shake up the state of its wide receiver room (for the better) and what each player’s role will be this season, but the team isn’t making any changes until it needs to.