B79. STEELERS STAR ERUPTS: Darnell Washington Unleashes a Brutal Stiff-Arm That Left a Bengals Defender Flat
The Pittsburgh Steelers came into Sunday’s AFC North clash with the Cincinnati Bengals desperate for momentum — and they got it in the most violent, highlight-reel fashion possible.
Late in the first half, with Pittsburgh clinging to a razor-thin one-point lead, tight end Darnell Washington delivered the kind of play that instantly turns stadiums electric. After hauling in a massive pass from quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Washington turned upfield — and absolutely erased a Bengals defender with a stiff-arm so ruthless it sent shockwaves across the NFL world.
Reporters exploded online.
“Darnell Washington holy smokes!!” Ari Meirov posted on X.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero took it even further, crowning the tight end with a new nickname on the spot: “Darnell Squashington.”
And Washington earned it.
Not only did he send the defender crashing backward, he kept churning downfield, dragging the Bengals secondary with him as if they were nothing more than loose threads on his jersey.
The monster stiff-arm was just one of several superhuman moments from Washington on the day. Earlier, he attempted to hurdle multiple Bengals defenders while trying to convert a crucial third-and-long — a rare combination of raw power and athleticism that Pittsburgh hasn’t seen at tight end in years.
At the time of the play, Washington had four receptions and continues to carve out a significant role in the Steelers’ offensive plan. His lone touchdown of the season, fittingly, also came against Cincinnati — back on October 16 in Pittsburgh’s narrow 33–31 loss.
This matchup, as always between the Steelers and Bengals, has been a bruising, physical war. Pittsburgh entered the game at 5–4, fighting to stay afloat in the chaotic AFC North, a division where every game feels like a playoff elimination round. With Aaron Rodgers still adjusting to his new roster and the offense struggling at times this year, Washington’s emergence couldn’t be better timed.
And on Sunday, he delivered the kind of spark that changes games — and maybe seasons.
One stiff-arm.
One defender sent flying.
One moment that Steelers fans won’t forget anytime soon.
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