Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Chase Claypool had a record-setting performance that led the Steelers to victory on Sunday afternoon in their in-state matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Claypool was the Steelers’ second-round draft pick out of Notre Dame earlier this year.
On Sunday afternoon, Claypool teamed up with veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to outsmart the Eagles defense.
“The longer we go, the more trust we have with each other week after week,” Claypool said of his relationship with Roethlisberger in a post-game press conference.
What started as a slow game offensively soon turned into a high-scoring matchup.
With wide receiver Diontae Johnson on the sideline for the majority of the game due to a back injury, Claypool saw his opportunity.
In the first half alone, Claypool managed to record both a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown.
He scored two more touchdowns in the second half. The rookie finished Sunday’s game with seven receptions for 110 yards and four touchdowns.
Claypool seemed excited, to say the least, after the game as he spoke to the media.
“I would never have predicted this,” he said. “This is awesome.”
Claypool’s performance made him the first Steelers rookie to catch three touchdowns in one game since tight end Eric Green in 1990.
The wide receiver also tied the franchise record for most touchdowns scored in a single game. He even became the first rookie in NFL history to have three receiving touchdowns and one rushing touchdown in a game.
This record-setting day for Claypool proves that he can step up when needed and be a playmaker.
Head coach Mike Tomlin knows the benefits of having Claypool as an addition to an already strong receiving core.
“Let’s be honest, a lot of it might not even have to do with him and his skillset,” said Tomlin. “We’ve just got a well-balanced attack. We’ve got guys that people have to account for, guys like JuJu (Smith-Schuster), guys like Diontae (Johnson) and (Eric) Ebron. I just think that he’s probably a good matchup for whoever people have assigned to him from a man-to-man standpoint.”
After leading the Steelers to a 38-29 victory over the Eagles, fans must be wondering if this trend will continue for Claypool.
While his record-setting performance on Sunday did not go unnoticed, the Steelers have quite a few offensive weapons.
Claypool now appears to be one of them, but this doesn’t mean he will regularly be putting up these numbers.
“That’s the strength of having a deep group of guys that are capable of making plays,” Tomlin said after Sunday’s matchup. “Week in and week out, there are going to be different guys that step up just based on the matchups presented.”
However, Claypool will continue to be useful for the Steelers. The wide receiver is an impressive blocker and will be a red zone threat each time he steps onto the field.
Featured Image Courtesy of Press of Atlantic City.
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