Steelers WR Roman Wilson’s long wait is almost over

Each morning at 5 a.m., Roman Wilson would rise on the island of Maui, the place where he was born and raised. His daily ritual began with packing a bag, filled mostly with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, before heading to the bus stop. His destination: the airport. His goal: to catch the 6:30 a.m. flight to the neighboring island of Oahu. There, in Honolulu, he attended Saint Louis School, a high school renowned for its dominant football program and a track record of producing top-tier talent—names like Tua Tagovailoa, Marcus Mariota, and the Herbig brothers.

Getting Wilson to Saint Louis was no small feat. His mother, Colleen Colegrove, juggled three jobs, while his father, Jeffrey Wilson, secured a position with Hawaiian Airlines. The airline job was strategically chosen to take advantage of free flights for family members—a critical perk that made Wilson’s daily commute possible. But it wasn’t as seamless as it sounded.

“I was flying standby,” Wilson recalled. “Which meant I only got a seat if there was one left. Nothing was guaranteed.” There were days he arrived at school late, and other times when he wouldn’t return home until well after dark. The cycle repeated daily: classes, football practice, a race back to the airport, then a long wait for a chance to board a return flight.

One particularly grueling day during his freshman year stood out. After a full day of school and training, Wilson reached the airport only to find that the first flight was full. So was the next one. And the one after that. He waited six hours, subsisting on his go-to sandwich, hoping for a seat. “That was awful,” he said. “I haven’t liked peanut butter and jelly since.”

The exhausting commute demanded resilience and unwavering determination. Yet, for a young receiver who was smaller than average and came from a state not widely recognized for producing skill players, Wilson understood that sacrifices had to be made to put himself on the map for college scouts.

“I never second-guessed it,” he said. “It was just something I was willing to do.”

That determination eventually paid dividends. In 2024, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Wilson in the third round of the NFL Draft. But just as he was ready to embark on his professional journey, adversity returned. During his very first padded training camp session, a defender rolled over his ankle. Later, just as he was regaining form and starting to gain the coaches’ trust, he strained his hamstring. What was supposed to be a breakout rookie season turned into a frustrating year on the sidelines.

“I try not to dwell too much on last season,” Wilson said. “But I definitely learned from it. It shaped who I am going into this next chapter.”

Before moving forward, it’s worth understanding how Wilson got here—and why many around him believe he’s built for success.

After the infamous six-hour airport wait, the Wilson family reevaluated their strategy. The daily inter-island commute had become unsustainable. For a time, Roman stayed with various families on Oahu, each temporary situation providing a different form of stability. Eventually, his father moved to Oahu and secured a modest studio apartment for them to share.

By his junior year, the sacrifices began to bear fruit. Wilson emerged as Saint Louis’ top receiver, leading the team with 32 receptions for 803 yards and seven touchdowns as they completed an undefeated 11-0 season and clinched the state title. Despite these standout performances, his slight build meant he flew under the radar for many recruiters. Standing 5’11” now, he was even shorter and weighed only around 170 pounds in high school. Consequently, he received limited interest from larger programs—mostly local schools like Hawaii and a few Pac-12 or mid-major teams.

But speed was in his blood. His mother had been a track and cross-country star in Michigan, setting multiple state records in the 1980s. Her time of 26.2 seconds in the 200-meter dash remains among the state’s best nearly four decades later.

Wilson began working with renowned speed coach David Kamalani in sixth grade. A Nike master trainer, Kamalani had worked with over 200 Division I athletes. Though Wilson initially lacked polish in his footwork—Kamalani joked that he had “two left feet”—he quickly improved through persistent effort.

The two often trained at public parks or near the fire station where Kamalani worked. Even after moving to Oahu, Wilson would reach out during visits home to continue their sessions. “He was always the one asking, ‘Coach, can we train today?’ That desire, that initiative—it stood out,” Kamalani recalled.

Despite his development, Wilson remained under the radar until May 2019, when he competed at Nike’s The Opening regional camp in Oakland. There, he posted a 4.37-second 40-yard dash and recorded the highest SPARQ score (124.59) of the event. Though he didn’t receive an invitation to the national showcase, the performance changed everything. When he landed back in Hawaii, his phone was flooded with messages from college programs. Suddenly, schools like Oregon and Michigan were interested.

His senior year was even more dominant. Wilson recorded 61 receptions, 1,025 yards, and 11 touchdowns, again leading Saint Louis to an undefeated season. In the state title game, he caught eight passes for 171 yards, including an 86-yard touchdown. In the spring, he won gold in the 100 meters at the state track meet (10.68 seconds) and helped his relay team set a meet record in the 4×100 (41.54).

He eventually committed to Michigan, returning to the state where his mother once starred. It was a calculated decision. The Wolverines’ run-first offense emphasized physicality, something Wilson knew he needed to develop. “I was barely 170 pounds when I got there,” he said. “Learning how to block and play physically was something I needed, and it made me a more complete player.”

Lining up primarily in the slot, Wilson became an efficient and dangerous target. In 2023, he led Michigan in receptions (48), yards (789), and touchdowns (12), playing a key role in their national championship season.

At the 2024 Senior Bowl, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin challenged Wilson directly. He asked standout cornerback Quinyon Mitchell to match up against Wilson on every rep, wanting to see how Wilson handled elite competition. The Steelers liked what they saw. With the 84th pick in the third round, they made Wilson their selection.

“The reason they picked me,” Wilson said during his introductory press conference, “is because they expect me to contribute right away. And that’s exactly what I plan to do.”

But early setbacks derailed his rookie year. His debut came in Week 6 against the Raiders, where he played just five offensive snaps without recording a catch. Not long after, he aggravated his hamstring and spent much of the remainder of the season on injured reserve.

Coach Tomlin explained it plainly: “He was healthy by the end, but being healthy and being ready for football are not the same thing. Coming back mid-season is like jumping on a moving train.”

The team, however, remains confident in Wilson’s potential. “We’re expecting big things from him in Year 2,” Tomlin added.

This offseason, Wilson has committed himself to his health and technique. He’s focused on mastering route indicators, improving the precision of his breaks, and refining his blocking. With George Pickens traded and a clear vacancy behind DK Metcalf, the opportunity is there for Wilson to step up. If he can, the wide receiver room might be deeper than it appears.

“My goal is to improve every day,” Wilson said. “I want to treat every practice like it’s game day, be mentally and physically locked in, and give everything I’ve got.”

After a long journey filled with obstacles and setbacks, Wilson’s moment may finally be arriving.