Jaylen Warren has written quite the last few chapters in his football story the last two years.
Going from Snow Junior College to Utah State, then on to Oklahoma State, Warren bounced around a bit at the collegiate level. Landing in Stillwater with the Cowboys gave him a shot at the NFL though, which he fully took advantage of in the black and gold, earning a spot on the 53-man roster with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the running backs room alongside second-year star Najee Harris and dependable special teams player Benny Snell Jr.
Warren emerged quickly in training camp and the preseason, showing he can handle the workload as a tough runner between the tackles, a dependable pass catcher and pass protector out of the backfield, and an intriguing special teams presence, leading to him securing a spot on the Steelers.
Speaking with reporters Wednesday morning inside the locker room at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side after making the team, Warren stated that making the roster is a dream come true, but that he was too shocked to react to the news, even after calling his Mom at 4:01 p.m. Tuesday, according to video via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor on Twitter.
“A dream came true. That’s what I was working for, and it finally happened. It was just like a moment of silence for me. I was too shocked to just react to anything,” Warren said to reporters, according to video via Pryor. “…I called my Mom, and then I called my Pops.
“As soon as it hit four o’clock, I made the call. People were congratulating me at 3:55, I still got five minutes. I was over there hiding in the corner. I didn’t want to be too sure, I still had plenty of time.”
Warren sure is an easy guy to root for. Unassuming in every way, he was incredibly nervous and unsure if he would make the 53-man roster, even after his terrific play in the preseason and training camp. He has that chip on his shoulder though of nothing being given, everything earned, and that’s carried him to the point he’s out now.
Now, with that chapter of his football career closed, it’s time to write a new one in the regular season with the Steelers, presumably as the No. 2 running back behind Harris. Quite the journey for Warren to date.
