Kaden Wetjen made a name for himself at Iowa as a return specialist. He was a two-time Jet Award winner and Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year. On Thursday night, he officially introduced himself to a new fan base in black and gold through some big offensive contributions.
The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Wetjen in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. After a long offseason, the former Hawkeye made his NFL debut in the Steelers' preseason opener on Thursday night. And it didn't take him long to win over the hometown fans.
In the third quarter, Wetjen caught an in route from former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. He scampered down the sidelines, showing off the jets, for a 75-yard gain. He was just a few yards away from his first career score. He wouldn't have to wait long to find the end zone in Pittsburgh.
Watch Kaden Wetjen break loose for 75 yards! @Steelers
— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026
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On the Steelers' very next drive, the offense drove down the field and got to a first-and-goal at the Green Bay 5-yard line. Allar would roll to his left and find a wide-open Wetjen for a touchdown. It was the first professional score for Wetjen, who found the end zone regularly as a Hawkeye.
Steelers QB Drew Allar adds a passing TD to his statline:
— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026
8/10
143 yards
Passing TD
Rushing TD
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Wetjen finished his NFL debut with two receptions, a game-high 79 receiving yards, and a touchdown. He added three kick returns for 61 yards and two punt returns for 10 yards. Wetjen looks primed to play a big role on a Steelers team with playoff aspirations. His debut on Thursday night showed he's capable of doing just that.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa's Kaden Wetjen caps NFL preseason debut with first touchdown