Darnell Washington parlayed his breakout 2025 season into a lucrative contract extension. The Pittsburgh Steelers reached an agreement with their 6-foot-7 tight end on a four-year, $42 million extension that includes $21 million guaranteed, according to ESPN.
A 2023 third-round pick, Washington was on the final year of his rookie contract. While he is primarily a blocking tight end, the former Georgia Bulldog started to show his receiving prowess last season before he suffered a Week 17 injury during Pittsburgh’s loss to the Browns. He set career highs in receptions (31) and yards (364) while establishing a quick rapport with Aaron Rodgers.
“I’m just so proud of him,” Rodgers said of Washington during the 2025 season. “Just his approach. Really, the growth I’ve seen since training camp is that he’s continued to get his body in shape, get his mind in shape. He’s a guy you don’t worry about the details at all. He’s very detailed-oriented, super smart player. … He’s faster than people probably think because he’s so tremendously large, and he’s also shifty. … He’s consistently, most of the season, made those (game-changing) plays.”
Washington, who revealed during the 2025 season that he weighed 311 pounds (his listed playing weight is 264), made one of the most memorable plays of the season when he flattened several defenders during Pittsburgh’s Week 11 win over the Bengals.
Washington’s success last year all but ended any speculation about possibly switching positions to play offensive tackle.
“He’s definitely in the right position,” Rodgers said during the 2025 season, “because he’s so big and so athletic for a man of that size. To be that skilled in the passing game is pretty impressive, not to mention what he does on the line of scrimmage.”
Washington is the second member of Pittsburgh’s 2023 draft class to come to terms on a sizable contract extension in as many days. Outside linebacker Nick Herbig penned a four-year, $100 million deal Tuesday that included $42 million guaranteed.
What does Washington’s signing mean for the Steelers?
Pittsburgh continues to invest more in its younger players, particularly those drafted by general manager Omar Khan. In fact, Pittsburgh selected both Herbig and Washington during Khan’s first draft as general manager.
The signings also appear to signal a change in Pittsburgh’s contractual philosophy. While the Steelers may have overpaid for both Herbig and Washington, their contracts could turn out to be bargains (especially Herbig’s) if they maximize their potential. By locking them up now, the Steelers may ultimately save money in the long run.
Khan’s decision to lock up two of his younger players could also be an indication of where the Steelers are heading from a roster and personnel standpoint. Herbig’s new contract is a possible sign that the Steelers are preparing to usher in a youth movement at outside linebacker. Alex Highsmith, who currently starts ahead of Herbig, has two years left on a four-year extension that he signed three years ago. T.J. Watt, a former Defensive Player of the Year, has three years remaining on an extension that he signed last year that made him the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback.
The Steelers would clearly save money by parting with Highsmith, and while it would be very premature to suggest that Watt is leaving Pittsburgh anytime soon, that could start to become a legitimate possibility this time next year if Jack Sawyer takes another leap in his second season.
The decision to re-sign Washington is a reflection of how the Steelers view him as a player. After watching his production increase in 2025, the Steelers clearly believe Washington will continue to grow as both a blocker and a receiver. Washington’s new contract also reinforces Pittsburgh’s desire for a strong running game to take some of the pressure off Rodgers and whoever is the team’s starting quarterback in 2027.
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