Chase Claypool reveals why he stopped receiving redzone targets
Chase Claypool came into the NFL with a burning desire to make his name known, and that’s exactly what he did during his rookie season. The former Notre Dame wide receiver joined the Steelers and looked like the next great in a long line of wide receivers, catching nine touchdowns in his first season.
However, his sophomore slump was highly-publicized — Claypool’s touchdown count dropped all the way down to two last season. In an appearance on the I AM ATHLETE Podcast with former NFL stars Brandon Marshall, Adam “Pacman” Jones and LeSean McCoy, the Steelers star revealed why he believes he didn’t receive as many redzone targets throughout his second season.
“Every time there’s a veteran quarterback that’s been there for awhile and wins games, if you don’t make a couple particular plays, you’re probably not going back. So, there’s a lot of times like, I got formationed away from shots that were in the endzone,” stated Claypool. “That’s because I had a couple shots at, maybe 50/50 balls.
“So, it’s like, I think this last year it kind of shifted away from, ‘Hey, I need to get Chase the ball every time we hope in the redzone.’ You know?”
While the former Notre Dame star dealt with uneven play at the quarterback position, it’s evident he believes his lack of hauling in contested catches led to less confidence in his abilities.
Nevertheless, Chase Claypool remains one of the most talented young wide receivers in the league, and he’ll be expected to catch many more touchdowns than the two he had last season.
Chase Claypool addresses expectations for 2022 season
If there is one thing Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool is not short on, it’s confidence.
He’s confident in himself, his team, and their capabilities. During a recent interview on the I Am Athlete podcast, he addressed his expectations for the Steelers 2022 season and gave a bold prediction on their win total.
“I don’t think we are, I mean, we’re gonna have a rebuild year one at one point, but it’s not gonna be anytime in the next ten years… No, absolutely not,” said Claypool. “Everyone keeps saying we need a new quarterback, we need a new quarterback.
“We got a quarterback. We got the pieces for that quarterback, we got receivers, we got the defense. So I think we’re straight. I think we’re winning 13 (games).”
13 is a lofty goal for a win total given the division the Steelers play in, the AFC North. And one can argue that each team in the division got better over the offseason.
The Ravens are likely to be at full strength at the start of next season after losing MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson midway through the season and three running backs before the start of the year. The Cincinnati Bengals are fresh off a Super Bowl appearance and added some much-needed offensive line help to protect their star quarterback Joe Burrow.
If the Steelers are to make good on Chase Claypool’s claim, then they will need plenty of confidence, and it looks like their young star receiver has more than enough to share.