Calvin Austin III Goes Viral After Game-Winning 60-Yard Touchdown: Meet the Steelers’ Lightning-Fast Secret Weapon

Game-Winning Catch Propels Calvin Austin III Into Playoff Spotlight Section 1: A 55-Second Miracle in Baltimore Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III turned a division-deciding Week 18 thriller into his personal coming-out party, hauling in Aaron Rodgers’ 37-yard touchdown with 0:55 on the clock to beat the Ravens 26-24 and clinch the AFC North. In the postgame locker room the 5-foot-9 speedster broke down the play, explaining that he recognized Baltimore’s single-high look and “knew the seam was ours” before exploding past corner Brandon Stephens for the decisive score. Section 2: From Fourth-Round Flier to Deep-Threat Dynamo Drafted out of Memphis in 2024 largely for his 4.32-second 40-yard dash, Austin spent most of his rookie season recovering from a foot fracture. Healthy in 2025, he has erupted for 41 receptions, 702 yards and six touchdowns, ranking fifth in the NFL at 17.1 yards per catch. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith calls him “our lid-lifter,” noting that his presence forces safeties to stay honest and opens intermediate windows for George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth. Section 3: Why Defenses Fear His Speed • 68.3 percent of Austin’s targets travel 15+ air yards, highest among qualified AFC receivers. • Rodgers owns a 129.4 passer rating when throwing to him, best of any Steeler with 30-plus targets. • Next Gen Stats clocked Austin at 22.19 mph on the game-winning grab, fastest recorded speed in Week 18. Section 4: Wild Card Chess Match vs. Texans Houston surrendered the league’s fourth-most completions of 20+ yards, and their boundary corner group is missing All-Pro Derek Stingley Jr. with a hamstring injury. Expect Pittsburgh to dial up early vertical shots to Austin off play-action; Smith hinted at “unscouted looks” designed to isolate him on rookie nickel Jalen Pitre. Austin says the playoff stage “still feels like college bowl week—just bigger lights” and believes Acrisure Stadium’s night kickoff will give the Steelers crowd a chance to “get too lit, same as in Baltimore”. Section 5: Fantasy & Betting Angle Austin’s current receiving-yards prop at major sportsbooks opened at 48.5; he has cleared that number in five of his last six games. DFS managers chasing low-owned upside should note that Houston allowed a 121.8 rating on throws of 20+ yards outside the numbers. Section 6: What’s Next If Austin continues his late-season surge, Pittsburgh’s offense gains the vertical threat it lacked during last year’s early playoff exit. A breakout postseason—starting with Saturday’s Wild Card tilt—could solidify him as the long-term complement to Pickens and give the Steelers leverage in offseason contract talks with veteran slot Allen Robinson II. Bottom Line Calvin Austin III is peaking at exactly the right time. His track-star acceleration flipped the AFC North standings and now looms as Pittsburgh’s X-factor in a crowded AFC playoff field. Search interest is soaring, and if he torches Houston the way film and matchups suggest, the NFL world—and fantasy lineups everywhere—will be forced to learn his name in a hurry.