Former Steelers wide receiver leads 2026 countdown to kickoff: Day No. 81
· Yahoo Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers' countdown to kickoff is full steam ahead of the 2026 NFL regular season, with fans needing to wait only 81 more days until the Steel City brand of football hosts the Atlanta Falcons on September 13.
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In the spirit of the countdown, we at Steelers Wire will take a look at the history of the No. 81 jersey and analyze which players wore it best.
Steelers current No. 81 wearer: TE Lake McRee
One of the biggest undrafted rookies on the Steelers roster, McRee is the current No. 81 on the roster. During his five seasons at USC, McRee caught 97 passes for 1,154 yards and seven touchdowns.
Last five Steelers to wear No. 81
- Lake McRee, 2026-present
- Jonnu Smith, 2025
- MyCole Pruitt, 2024
- Zach Gentry, 2019-2022
- Jesse James, 2015-2018
Best No. 81 in Steelers history: WR Charles Johnson
When it comes to the greatest wearer of No. 81, a jersey number that doesn't have the same historic impact as other entries, the honor belongs to wide receiver Charles Johnson.
Johnson, selected by the Steelers with the 17th overall pick in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft, played five seasons in Pittsburgh from 1994 to 1998. He left the Steel City for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999 and would play for the New England Patriots (2001) and Buffalo Bills (2002) to close out his career.
Johnson caught 354 passes for 4,606 yards and 24 touchdowns, as well as winning a Super Bowl with New England in 2001.
Eclipsing the 1,000 yard mark once in his Steelers career, Johnson spent the majority of his NFL career in Pittsburgh and is the best No. 81 in franchise history.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers 2026 countdown to kickoff: Best and current wearer of No. 81