The Pittsburgh Steelers dropped their 2026 preseason finale 28-27 to the Buffalo Bills, and man, it was a nail-biter right down to the wire. The Steelers had jumped out to a 14-3 lead early in the first quarter, but Bills quarterback Shane Buechele ultimately led a game-winning touchdown drive to give Buffalo the win. Still, forget the final score for a second. What really mattered were the pivotal performances from players desperately fighting to make their final impressions before Sunday’s looming 53-man roster cuts.
Who Boosted Their Stock in the Finale?
First up, wide receiver Germie Bernard. After getting zero catches on his lone target last week, Bernard absolutely made the most of his opportunity this time, scoring a first-quarter touchdown on his only catch! He took a screen pass, put a move on former first-round pick Maxwell Hairston, and was gone. Seriously, the dude has shown serious ability after the catch all preseason. That’s exactly the kind of dynamic playmaking you want to see from a rookie trying to make an impact, and it looks like he is gonna have a role with the starters at some point in his rookie season, which is huge for the offense!
Then there is rookie fourth-round pick Kaden Wetjen, the primary return man. Honestly, I had him penciled into the “stock down” category during the second half. He had struggled throughout the preseason, even going backwards on two punt returns in the first half of this game. But then, not five minutes after I wrote that, BAM! Wetjen delivers the play of the preseason: a 45-yard punt return touchdown! That electrifying play pretty much locks up his roster spot as the team’s primary return man, no question. Talk about seizing your moment when it counts most, what a turnaround!
Big Debuts and Big Questions
Talk about a rollercoaster debut, man. The Steelers’ 2026 first-round pick, offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, finally hit the field after missing a few weeks with a shoulder/neck injury. His first series? He got absolutely blown by and gave up a sack. You just cannot have that, especially from a top pick! Later, he got flagged for a hold on what I am telling you was a super questionable call. The Twitterverse agrees, with LandonTengwall tweeting a clip, calling it a “garbage call” and shouting “Destroy all refs who think snatch and trap is a holding call.” Wild stuff.
But get this: in the second half, Iheanachor made a phenomenal downfield block that cleared the way for rookie running back Eli Heidenreich to stroll into the end zone. For limited reps, he showed serious promise. With the starting line struggling throughout preseason, Iheanachor could be a starter way sooner than anyone thinks, which is a huge positive to take away from a wild debut and a glimpse into the future!
On the flip side, quarterback Will Howard had a tough night. He threw his third interception of the preseason in the first half, clearly a miscommunication between him and tight end Lake McRee. Whether it was on Howard or McRee, it is unclear, but Howard’s sloppy handling of the ball will almost certainly cost him. When you’re fighting for a spot on the roster, you just can’t have those kinds of mistakes, especially with cuts looming, it’s brutal out there.
The 53-man roster cuts are set for this Sunday, and these players just gave the coaching staff a ton to chew on. Every single snap mattered tonight, proving you’ve gotta bring your A-game right up until the final whistle. It is gonna be intense to see how it all shakes out for these guys when the final decisions drop, and who makes the cut for opening day! Get ready for some big news, Steelers Nation.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
Leave a Reply