Calvin Austin’s big night was ‘long overdue’

As Calvin Austin III was prepping for a third-quarter punt return Monday night, Mike Tomlin told him that it was “his time.”

To Austin, though, his time was long overdue.

Austin has his first career punt return for a touchdown, in addition to a receiving touchdown, in propelling the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 26-18 victory against the New York Giants.

“I went 17 games last year and didn’t take (any) punt back,” the speedy Austin said late Monday. “That’s not myself and the standard I hold myself to. So, getting in there was almost like a sigh of relief moreso.”

It was a euphoric one for the Steelers (6-2), who for the third consecutive week got a “splash play” from their special-teams unit. They blocked a punt in a win in Las Vegas on Oct. 13 and blocked two place kicks (one was nullified by a bogus penalty) during an Oct. 20 win against the New York Jets.

But arguably the most impactful special teams play during the three-game winning streak the Steelers carry into their bye was Austin’s 73-yard return with 4 minutes, 38 seconds left in the third quarter Monday that broke a 9-9 tie.

Some six minutes of game time later, Austin made it a two-touchdown lead when he caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson.

The plays accounted for the fourth and fifth touchdowns in the career of Austin, a fourth-round pick in 2022 who missed all of his rookie season because of injury and had just 28 career catches headed into Monday.

Austin’s TD was one of three receptions for 54 yards he had against the Giants.

“I can’t say enough about Calvin,” Tomlin said.

Tomlin said he approached Austin the snap before what was his third punt-return opportunity of the day. Not counting fair catches, the speedy Austin had 43 prior punt returns as a pro and averaged 8.9 yards on them with none longer than 34 yards – and none reaching the end zone.

“He’s been close for a couple weeks,” Tomlin said. “I thought it was his time. He thought it was his time, and he delivered.”

Austin, who started in college at Memphis as a sprinter, had a punt-return touchdown during each of the two seasons he was a significant contributor to the Tigers’ football team.

The 5-foot-9 Austin was drafted in part for his potential explosiveness as a returner.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed in last year and the beginning of this year,” Austin said, referencing not having any return touchdowns, “because that something I am supposed to do. So I am very blessed and thank God I was able to get into the end zone. But that’s something that, for me, should happen more often.”

On the scoring return, Austin caught Matt Haack’s 54yard punt on the right side of the field at the Steelers’ 27. He sprinted to the left and took advantage of blocking to turn the corner.

From there, Austin’s blazing 4.32-second speed in the 40-yard dash took over as he ran down the left sideline and used a subtle cut inside before outrunning everybody.

Austin’s touchdown catch required less than a yard of running with the ball in his hands. He had a step on rookie Giants nickel back Dru Phillips, catching a wellthrown Wilson ball in stride inside the 2 as he approached the left sideline.

Austin has had two of the six most productive receiving- yardage games of his career in the past two weeks. That’s a time span that happens to coincide with Wilson taking over as starting quarterback.

“Calvin, you guys got to see who he is, what he means to this football team, the star that he is going to be and already is,” Wilson said. “It’s in him. It’s in him. The punt return that he had, the touchdown, these are things that are special plays.”