Austin drops the ball on first touchdown catch in regular season
by Bo Marchionte
Published September 28, 2023, 4:48 PM
Pittsburgh, PA – Souvenirs and keepsakes aren’t exactly Calvin Austin’s thing.
“Awe, not too many, I guess,” Austin said of retrieving footballs after big plays throughout his football career. “That one (against Raiders) would have been a cool one to have but honestly, it’s not going to be something I look back on and regret.”
Leaning back in his chair after practice, Austin’s veteran teammate and fellow wideout Miles Boykin just shook his head in amazement that the second-year receiver elected not to keep his first touchdown pass.
“Man, I was so mad at him,” Boykin said with a jokingly frustrated tone by the youthful miscue by the talented receiver. “I told him the other day you are supposed to keep that, and I saw him throw it down on the ground. For what? I don’t know anybody who doesn’t have their first touchdown ball. Yeah, that’s on him, it’s negligence on his part.”
It was his first regular season touchdown pass on Sunday Night Football against the Las Vegas Raiders in the Steelers 23-18 win and he did not feel compelled to ask the equipment managers to stow this keepsake for a special place at home.
“So, I thought about it a little bit afterwards,” Austin said of his 72-yard touchdown pass from Kenny Pickett in the first quarter. “Then some of the guys were messing with me, like asking why I didn’t keep it. But honestly, I know I kept the one and gave it to my dad versus (Tampa Bay) Bucs which was obviously preseason. So, it’s not the same.”
That particular pass from Mason Rudolph versus the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay this past preseason was the first chance to see the deep ball ability Austin possesses to stretch a defense and open up things underneath for the Steelers offense.
The 67-yard touchdown in the preseason and his 72-yard touchdown against the Bucs show exactly why the Steelers selected Austin in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Missing his entire rookie season with a Lisfranc injury, his addition paid dividends early against the Raiders.
“I didn’t have any feeling of wanting to keep it for some reason,” Austin said. “My mindset was like you know what, Lord willing, I’m going to have other big moments and other opportunities where I feel I want to keep the ball.”
Austin’s next chance for personal memorabilia is this weekend in Houston. The Texans longest pass allowed thus far in 2023, is 43-yards to Colts tight end Will Mallory. It’s the only catch over forty-yards and six other 20-yard receptions versus the Houston defense as deep offenses have gotten so far after three weeks.
Combining the three games of the preseason and the three games played in the regular season, Austin already has two touchdowns for 67 plus yards. His connection with Pickett against the Raiders is currently the longest touchdown pass in the National Football League, in 2023.
Texans first round pick Derek Stingley was placed in IR on September 23rd and three other secondary players, Tavierre Thomas, Shaquill Griffin and Jalen Pitre are listed as questionable for Sunday’s kickoff.
“Lord willing, I expect there to be other moments and opportunities when there will be a ball I definitely want to keep,” Austin said, seated at his locker at the Steelers facility on the South Side.
The opportunity could be this weekend for Austin who could be facing a depleted group on the backend of the Texans defense.
“So, we are going to have to have him keep his second one but it’s going to have an asterisk next to it,” Boykin said with a laugh.
Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com
