Mike McCarthy, Aaron Rodgers Applaud Germie Bernard's Performance in Steelers' Week 6 Win originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Germie Bernard had a rough start on Sunday, but he finished strong in the Steelers' 26-19 overtime win against the Buccaneers.
In the first quarter of the Week 6 game, Pittsburgh's rookie wide receiver caught a pass from Aaron Rodgers on a fourth-down play, and he could have extended the drive by simply falling to the ground. Instead, he took a step back to avoid a defender, sliding behind the line to gain. The turnover on downs led to a Tampa Bay touchdown.
But Bernard didn't let that play shake his confidence. He finished with 11 catches for 87 yards, and he made a great dive on his game-winning touchdown catch in the extra period.
Germ! Extension! Six! @oti_germie https://t.co/6AZHDzh8uT
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 18, 2026
"I love everything he's doing," Steelers coach Mike McCarthy said during his postgame press conference. "He's accepted the challenge. We have a lot on his plate, and he's handling it. ... He'll learn from that [fourth-down play] in particular, but he's playing really good football for us."
Despite Bernard's early mistake, Rodgers continued to look for the 22-year-old throughout the game. DK Metcalf led Pittsburgh with 15 targets, but Bernard wasn't far behind him with 12.
It's not always easy for young receivers to earn the trust of veteran quarterbacks, but Bernard is quickly becoming a go-to guy for Rodgers.
"You need to ease expectations, but there comes a time when the confidence starts to match the potential. And I think we're reaching that time with Germie," Rodgers said. "Very proud of him. Obviously, the fourth down, probably should just catch it and back up, but he made a lot of nice plays today, lot of smart plays, lot of good catches."