The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the 2026 season with a 20-13 win over Atlanta, but a question about Roman Wilson’s target count drew the most attention after the win. Wilson had six targets, tied for second behind DK Metcalf’s 10. When asked about the same, veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers waved the question off, saying he doesn’t care about the target list, adding that the ball goes to whoever is open. That should have been the end of it.
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However, former NFL player Shannon Sharpe has now weighed in, and his take suggests the conversation inside the locker room needs to change.
“He understands DK and Pittman Jr., they going to get targets. Other guys, fill in the blanks. And guys didn’t talk about targets. Maybe not in front of him. Oh no God damn sure they talked about targets behind his back. Look, I agree with Aaron. Look, there are certain guys you one and two. You might try to throw them open. Three and four. Nah, bro. You need to be open, and I throw you the ball… That’s just the way it works.
“There’s a reason why they’re one and two they got. That’s why DK makes the money that he makes. That’s why Pittman Jr. makes the money that he makes. Those are the guys that are counting on. Those are the guys that Aaron Rodgers, like the rubber, needs to meet the road… Everybody has a role. No matter what sport you play, everybody has a role… Feel your role. Do your job. Do your responsibility. Sometimes your role might be, hey, now I ain’t going to say be like Chad Hungry and take two damn shots cuz that’s not your role either. But anyway, people get the gist of what I’m trying to say.”
In early September 2026, ahead of Week 1, Aaron Rodgers threw an interception during practice on a pass intended for Roman Wilson. But when asked about it afterward, Rodgers candidly told reporters that Wilson had made a “repeat mistake” on an under-route, adding that it was a good learning experience.
Following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 20–13 Week 1 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, the media once again pressed Rodgers about Wilson’s production. Wilson had finished the game with 3 catches for 26 yards on 6 targets. When a reporter asked Rodgers about Wilson being tied for second (with TE Pat Freiermuth) on the team’s target hierarchy, an annoyed Rodgers abruptly cut them off.
“I don’t give a sh*t about the target list. I don’t care about any of that. I love Roman. I think he’s done a great job… Because the ball goes to the open guy. So, I don’t want to hear people talking about. Nobody in the locker room talks about their targets. So, that’s all for you guys to talk about. There’s certain guys that need to get targets, and everybody else gets in the flow. That’s the reality of just about every offense in the league.”
While Aaron Rodgers claimed ‘nobody in the locker room talks about their targets,’ Shannon Sharpe believes the players anyway do.
At the same time, Wilson is not displeased with being less targeted. Rather, he is the least bothered.
“My goal is for this team to win,” Wilson said after the team’s mid-week practice ahead of Week 2. “Six targets. Two targets. Fifteen targets. Like, I could really care less.”
However, there is a reason why Metcalf and Pittman Jr. are Aaron Rodgers’ two primary targets. Metcalf is a veteran, with 7,174 receiving yards in 112 regular-season games under his name, while Pittman Jr. has racked up 5,254 receiving yards in 95 regular-season games.
Compared to them, Roman Wilson is just entering his third season with 166 receiving yards and not enough experience. Now, it will be interesting to see if Wilson receives more passes from Rodgers as the season goes by.