For a player long known for his work on special teams, the most important snap of the night was an offensive one. Kaden Wetjen turned a third-quarter target from Drew Allar into a 74-yard catch-and-run, and the play did more than move the Steelers into scoring range. It suggested that Wetjen Steelers may have found a way to use him as more than just a return specialist.
Wetjen had entered this preseason-style matchup at Acrisure Stadium with a familiar reputation. Before August 14, 2026, he had just 21 catches while operating in a limited Hawkeyes offensive scheme, even though he had already impressed as a receiver at the East-West Shrine Bowl. He was better known coming out of Iowa as the top return man in the draft, a player who had won the Jet Award twice. That background makes the catch from Allar noteworthy, because it came on a route and a run after the catch, not on a return.
Why the play mattered
The timing of the play mattered as much as the yardage. Drew Allar entered in the third quarter in place of Will Howard, and the Allar-to-Wetjen connection immediately changed the feel of the possession. Two plays later, the Steelers scored a touchdown and led the Green Bay Packers 14-9. In other words, the long gain was not just a highlight; it was the kind of explosive play that can flip a preseason drive from routine to decisive.
That is also why the reaction around the play leaned toward validation. Josh Carney had already argued that Wetjen was “more than just an ST piece,” and the route-running and suddenness that stood out at the Shrine Bowl showed up again here. The speed is obvious — the source lists a 4.47 40-yard dash time — but the more interesting detail is how the speed translated once the ball arrived. Wetjen was working open through contact and then showing the ball skills to turn the catch into a major gain.
There is still a reasonable counterpoint: one play does not settle a player’s role, and preseason usage can be situational. But it does matter when a team gives a receiver with Wetjen’s background a meaningful offensive snap and he turns it into a 74-yard burst. For a player whose value has mostly been framed through special teams, that is a real step toward a broader identity.
If Wetjen Steelers are looking for a sign that the fourth-round receiver can contribute beyond returns, this was it. The play did not just answer whether he can handle offensive work; it suggested that, in the right situation, he can change a game with a single touch.
