Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington is drawing praise from Aaron Rodgers for his growth and dynamic play. Rodgers highlighted Washington's performance in a recent win over the Cincinnati Bengals, including a key third-down conversion. Washington also revealed his actual playing weight as 311 pounds, far above his listed 264.
Darnell Washington has emerged as a standout in the Pittsburgh Steelers' tight end group, surpassing expectations set for Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith. After a strong showing in the Steelers' win against the Cincinnati Bengals on November 16, 2025, Aaron Rodgers expressed admiration for Washington's development.
Rodgers, speaking via the team's YouTube channel, said, “I’m just so proud of him. Just his approach, and really the growth I’ve seen since training camp, as 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 just very detail-oriented, super smart player.” He added, “He’s faster than people probably think ’cause he’s so tremendously large. And he’s also shifty.”
Washington's highlights included a viral 31-yard catch and run where he stiff-armed three Bengals defenders, and a crucial third-and-17 play in the third quarter. On that checkdown from Mason Rudolph, Washington caught the ball three yards past the line of scrimmage, evaded a defender, and fell forward for a first down, extending the Steelers' one-point lead and setting up a field goal.
Rodgers noted, “3rd and 17, to drop it off on a checkdown and have him make a guy miss and kinda fall forward and get a first down. It’s not what you expect. But those are game-changing plays. He’s consistently, most of the season, made those plays.”
Washington, who measured 6-foot-5 and 272 pounds at the 2023 NFL Combine, revealed on the St. Brown Podcast that he currently weighs 311 pounds. “I ain’t finna cap to y’all. I ain’t weigh myself in a minute, but I know. I’mma keep it a buck. I’m 311 [pounds],” he said. He had shed 10-15 pounds from a previous 321-326 pounds for the season, per his spring OTAs comments. TE coach Alfredo Roberts had previously confirmed his weight was in the 300s. At 311 pounds, Washington matches offensive lineman Broderick Jones' weight and exceeds Zach Frazier and Isaac Seumalo. His size and athleticism, including a former 4.64-second 40-yard dash, make him a dominant blocker and receiver, with the potential for future versatility.