Popularity and fame may be one driving factor for some athletes who enter the professional ranks. The money and the pleasure in playing the game are undeniable draws, of course, but plenty of people like to be known. Some even like to—ugh—build their brand.
In spite of my humor-infused indignation, there is nothing wrong with that in and of itself. But Pittsburgh Steelers RB Jaylen Warren doesn’t appear to be the type. Indeed, if anything, his relative anonymity is an asset to him at this point. But opposing defensive coordinators cannot afford not to know him anymore.
“Honestly, I didn’t know a lot about him until [this week]. I’d heard about him and I’d seen a little bit of him, but [you don’t really know him] until you really start playing someone and focusing on them”, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry told reporters earlier this week, via the team’s website.
“I think [Najee Harris] is a great back, and this guy’s a heck of a complement”, he added. “He’s their second-leading receiver. They do a great job with him, not only just handing the ball off to him but using him in the passing game. He does a great job in their screen game. He’s been a splash-play guy for them”.
Barry is technically correct about Warren being the team’s second-leading receiver if you judge by receptions. His 29 on the year are only second to WR George Pickens, who has 30. But WR Diontae Johnson has 302 receiving yards on 23 receptions versus Warren’s 209.
Warren recorded 105 touches during his rookie season over 16 games. In half the time so far in 2023, he already has 85 touches. He is on pace to finish the year with 119 carries for 559 yards and 62 receptions for 444 yards, just managing a 1,000-yard season.
If he can pull off 1,000-plus yards from scrimmage, and Harris does the same, it would mark the first season in decades since the Steelers had two running backs accomplish the feat. Walter Abercrombie and Earnest Jackson both managed it all the way back in 1986. Abercrombie also did it with Frank Pollard in 1985, and of course Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier did it in 1976.
While Warren got off to a bit of a slow start to the season, he has been picking it up more lately. He is coming off a career game in which he rushed for 88 yards on 11 carries against the Tennessee Titans along with 25 receiving yards. It was the first time in his career in which he recorded 100-plus yards from scrimmage in a game.
Now with 263 rushing yards on 56 carries with one score, as well as the aforementioned receiving numbers, the Snow College product has more than proven that he belongs in the NFL. And slowly but surely, opposing players and coaches are starting to learn his name and his game. Titans CB Elijah Molden found out the hard way, as seen in the header image. Literally.
