Rookie running back Kaleb Johnson sure isn’t lacking confidence. Making up one leg of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ backfield committee, Johnson has big goals out of the gate.
“I wanna be rookie of the year,” Johnson told reporters via audio provided by the team. “That’s my main thing. Work to win Super Bowls, Rookie of the Year, All-Pro. I wanna do all that. And I feel like [Pittsburgh] can best support me here, and I can get here, and I can do it.”
Johnson is expected to have an immediate role in the running game, likely seeing early-down carries while Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell handle third-down duties. Johnson will still split time with Warren, likely the Week 1 starter, but offensive coordinator could ride with Johnson if he proves to be the hot hand.
Development of Pittsburgh’s offensive line is key but Johnson knows he can build on the success Najee Harris had, posting consistent production behind at times a struggling front five.
“Najee had 1,000 yards every four years,” he said. “That just don’t happen for no reason. So I feel like, I wanna be the next step. I want to come in, I want to get more.”
Johnson may not get the workload to post the volume of a 1,000-yard rusher. But if he can efficiently maximize his carries, the Steelers will be better off. Generating bigger plays on the ground has been an offseason goal. Johnson brings old-school size but new-age explosiveness, ripping of 32 career runs of 20-plus yards at Iowa. Since 2021, Pittsburgh ranks 13th in runs of 10-plus yards (214), 16th in runs of 20-plus (42), 30th in runs of 30-plus (eight), and last in runs of 40-plus (one). The further out you go, the worse Pittsburgh gets.
Pittsburgh hasn’t had an Offensive Rookie of the Year since QB Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. The last and only Steelers’ running back to win it was Franco Harris in 1972. Johnson will face stiff competition from his fellow rookie runners alone, competing with the Las Vegas Raiders’ Ashton Jeanty, New England Patriots’ TreVeyon Henderson, and Cleveland Browns’ Quinshon Judkins. Others like Tennessee Titans QB Cam Ward and Carolina Panthers’ WR Tetairoa McMillan are also in the mix.
If Johnson can even be in the running by year’s end, the Steelers will be happy with their pick. And probably, their offense.
