Mike McCarthy Reveals What He Was Yelling at Kaden Wetjen During His 45-Yard Punt Return
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Kaden Wetjen finally gave Mike McCarthy exactly what he had been asking for. After spending much of the preseason hearing criticism about his decision-making as a returner, the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie broke loose for a huge punt-return touchdown against the Buffalo Bills, and even during the play, McCarthy was still barking the same message he had been drilling into Wetjen all summer.
And the funny part? Wetjen didn’t exactly follow the instructions. McCarthy was yelling for him to get north and attack vertically. Instead, the rookie bounced toward the sideline. However, this time, that decision worked perfectly.
Mike McCarthy Reveals What Kaden Wetjen Ignored Before His Breakout Punt Return
McCarthy explained what happened on August 28, after the Steelers’ 28-27 preseason loss to the Bills. Wetjen broke a 45-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter, giving them the explosive special-teams play the Steelers had been waiting to see from their fourth-round rookie.
“Sometimes coaches say things on a headset they probably shouldn’t say, like ‘get north, get north’ or ‘get vertical,’ which I was screaming at him at that time. And then he obviously bounced it to the sideline. I saw it on the Jumbotron. I saw why he bounced it, because he didn’t have anywhere to go in front of him. He’s been under some criticism just for being a young guy on a veteran team, so some tough love. I’m proud of him. I was really happy to see the return unit get that. Obviously, that was just a heck of a return by him, because if you’re grading the tape, the coverage unit was in excellent position right there. And he gets around a corner and, obviously, finishes it off. That was a big-time return.”
Mike McCarthy on Kaden Wetjen’s punt return for a TD: “Sometimes coaches say things on a headset they probably shouldn't say, like 'get north, get north' or 'get vertical,' which I was screaming at him at that time. And then he obviously bounced it to the sideline. I saw it on…
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) August 28, 2026
That detail makes the touchdown even more interesting. McCarthy was not suddenly changing his coaching philosophy because Wetjen scored. He still wants the rookie to learn when to stop dancing and attack the available crease; however, this particular rep showed why the Steelers have remained patient with him.
Wetjen headed into training camp with a lot to prove. The Steelers drafted Wetjen in the sixth round at pick 121 from Iowa, where he excelled as a return specialist during his college career. He led the country in combined return yards with 965 in 2025 and was twice named Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year.
The jump to the NFL hadn’t gone as smoothly for Wetjen. He had difficulty creating separation as a receiver and made some poor decisions as a returner. He even had a fumble and a muffed punt against the Jets, which only added to his troubles.
McCarthy said the coverage was good enough that Wetjen was facing a tough return situation. Wetjen still found the escape route, accelerated around the corner, and finished the play in the end zone.
That was the response McCarthy wanted. The head coach has described his criticism of Wetjen as tough love, especially because the rookie is trying to earn his way onto a veteran-heavy team. After the touchdown, however, there was no hesitation from McCarthy.
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