The battle for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ third running back spot is ongoing, but one candidate for the role is Anthony McFarland Jr. McFarland has been with Pittsburgh since 2020 but played just one game in 2022 and spent the majority of the year on the practice squad. He signed a Reserve/Future contract with the Steelers this offseason, and he told Dale Lolley of Steelers.com that he knows the key to having future with Pittsburgh is special teams.
“That’s the only way I’m going to make this team is to be on special teams any way I can on special teams, whether it’s punt, kickoff. It doesn’t matter,” McFarland said. “It’s something I have had to learn. I can’t just rely on my abilities. I’ve got to buy into everything. All I want to do is help the team win. If I really mean that and stand on that, it means I’ve got to be all-in on everything, and that’s special teams.”
He tried his hand on special teams during the preseason last year, and it didn’t go well.
But with another year of experience under his belt and the need to make the roster to preserve his NFL career, he’s probably spending more time learning and focusing on special teams. Danny Smith has had a tendency to get veterans and guys who shouldn’t be excited about playing special teams amped up, and McFarland clearly understands the need to buy in and be a contributor there.
One area where McFarland could potentially contribute is as a returner. He’s returned three kicks in his NFL career, and that’s an area where Pittsburgh doesn’t have a clear-cut starter right now. Obviously, trying him at gunner went poorly, and while that may not be the case again, it doesn’t seem like a position he can thrive. As a returner, he could be more productive.
I’m not sure the chances of that happening are all that high though, but McFarland is going to have to find a role and a way to contribute on special teams. Benny Snell Jr.’s special teams ability is why he made the team over McFarland last season. Whoever that third running back is needs to be able to be a contributor on special teams.
For McFarland, his work on special teams might be more important than his work in the backfield during off-season activities and training camp. If he can prove himself to be a valuable special teamer, his odds of making the roster will increase in a big way.
