Steelers' Kaleb Johnson Makes Bold Statement After Lackluster Rookie Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers have won four of their last five games of the regular season to clinch the AFC North for the first time since 2020. In those games, the Steelers have run the ball extremely well. They eclipsed over 100 yards in all except one, which was a win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14. The Steelers are now set to face an elite Houston Texans defense on Monday Night Football in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. The Steelers are hoping to keep this momentum of the ground game going in the postseason. Luckily for the Black and Gold, the game is in Pittsburgh. 

In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Steelers spent a third-round pick on Iowa running back, Kaleb Johnson. Johnson was supposed to be the change of pace back, with Jaylen Warren taking most of the snaps. However, that just hasn't been the case; Johnson had an underwhelming training camp and preseason. He started the regular season as a kickoff returner, something he had never done in college. It didn't take long for him to be benched on that unit, as a disastrous mishap in Week 2 led to a Seattle Seahawks touchdown. The Steelers would go on to lose that game. 

Johnson has since gotten very few snaps a game at running back. The Steelers decided they'd seen enough from the rookie, who was inactive for the last three games of the regular season. Chris Adamski of TribLive spoke to Johnson on Friday and had much to say about his rookie season.

"I feel like it's more of a mental game for me right now. So I just treat it as such, and I'm going to shine when my time comes," Johnson explained.

The emergence of Team MVP Kenneth Gainwell did not help Johnson's production. Gainwell has become a 1B for the Steelers, with Warren being 1A. Pittsburgh doesn't use a traditional bell-cow running back; they use their running backs by committee. Even when Warren's been out, Johnson just hasn't been able to find production. He finished his season with 28 rushes for 69 yards, averaging 2.5 Y/A. His longest run was only nine yards. 

Johnson was supposed to fit right into the Steelers' offense, coming from a wide-zone heavy offense in college. However, the game has just seemingly moved too fast for Johnson to start his career.  

This Is Becoming A Problem For The Steelers

The Steelers have spent their last two third-round draft picks on offensive skill positions: wide receiver Roman Wilson and now Johnson. Wilson played in one game in his rookie season, where he logged just five snaps. He missed every game after that. Johnson's rookie season didn't go much better. The Steelers' failure to draft and develop offensive skill positions is starting to bite them. Wilson was expected to be the Steelers' No. 2 wide receiver; he's posted just 12 catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns. He, like Johnson, have been scratched for the last few games. Many speculate that he's likely played his last game as a Steeler. 

The Steelers' lack of trust in their young offensive weapons is alarming. They aren't allowing their players to develop heavily in in-game situations. Whether that's Mike Tomlin's decision or Arthur Smith's, it's become very clear to the fan base. Calvin Austin III has been an exception, but even he saw his snaps dip when the Steelers brought up veterans Adam Thielen and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Luckily for Johnson, Gainwell is only on a one-year deal. With Warren getting extended before the season, Gainwell may have played his way to a bigger contract elsewhere. It's hard to imagine the Steelers paying two running backs, especially with Johnson waiting in the wings. If Gainwell decides not to re-sign, the Steelers must give Johnson a real chance. 

What do you think? Will Johnson bounce back? Is the Steelers' failure to develop recent draft picks a real issue now? Let us know in the comments.

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