The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2026 offseason, which started with the search for a new head coach, saw a flurry of free agent signings to help assemble the current roster. The team also has several new faces in terms of rookies from the 2026 NFL Draft, who have recently gone through rookie minicamp with the organization. Now the team is going through Organized Team Activities at their facilities. Training camp is quickly approaching and the team will really start to come together in the next couple of months before the preseason begins.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers' new head coach Mike McCarthy smiles as he addresses the media during his introductory press conference that took place at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report recently discussed the NFL's best running back duos ahead of the 2026 NFL season. Due to the addition of running back Rico Dowdle via free agency, the list has the Pittsburgh running back duo of Dowdle and Jaylen Warren ranked seventh in the league. While neither running back is necessarily an NFL "superstar," they are very consistent and reliable backs.
"The Pittsburgh Steelers have two proven three-down playmakers in their backfield, and they can both rack up yards in chunks," Moton wrote. "The Steelers don't have a star running back, which keeps them out of the top six. That said, Dowdle and Warren are a well-rounded, interchangeable duo that can finish the 2026 term with 1,100 scrimmage yards apiece."
Dowdle is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons, the first in 2024 with the Dallas Cowboys, followed by last season with the Carolina Panthers. Warren, a four-year NFL veteran, has not seen a 1,000-yard rushing season, but came close in 2025 with 958 yards on the ground. He also had an impact in the passing game, which struggled in the wide receiver department outside of DK Metcalf, as he had 40 receptions for for 333 yards in the 2025 season.
Matt Freed / Post-Gazette
Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) celebrates with former Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) during an away game against the Detroit Lions in 2025.
While it may be true that both guys in the Steel City are not stars in the backfield for the team, their numbers suggest they are well-rounded as Moton eluded to. Mike McCarthy is an offensive-minded head coach, so it will be interesting to see how both backs are utilized in the 2026 season during his first year as the Pittsburgh head coach. They may also have a key role in helping out a certain player that is returning to the organization for the upcoming season.
Steelers' Backfield Can Help Aaron Rodgers And Improve Output
With Aaron Rodgers returning for one final season in the Steel City, the new running back tandem can help relieve some of the pressure on him, especially as he turns 43 in December. While McCarthy is an offensive-minded head coach as mentioned, and has some new weapons Pittsburgh did not have last year at wide receiver in Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard, they may look to lean just a little bit in favor of the running game. These two acquisitions certainly should help to open up Metcalf as well, who saw a dip in his production in his first year with the organization.
The team also finished near the bottom of the league in offensive output in 2025, putting up just 305.6 yards per game. They were in a drastic need for improvement for 2026 and the players they added definitely should be able to assist in turning that around.
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Steelers QB Will Howard hands the football off to running back Rico Dowdle during the voluntary veteran offseason workouts.
When evaluating this ranking, seventh definitely seems more than fair as the pair teams up for the first year as a duo together in the NFL. While their numbers do not stick out in a big way, they are consistent in being a big part of offenses through their careers. This type of consistent production cannot only help improve the Steelers output as a whole offensively, but also ease the pressure on their 42-year old quarterback.
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