Steelers' Mike Tomlin Gives Insight To A Potentially Massive Upgrade Going Into 2025

The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering the 2025 NFL season with a lot of change happening within the roster. The quarterback position has been turned over for the second season in a row, and there are going to be a lot of new faces contributing on the defense. New weapons are also sprinkled in everywhere on offense, which will be an interesting storyline to follow as the season goes along. However, the third phase of the game, special teams, will also see some changes. This is especially true after the release of Cordarrelle Patterson on Monday.

Patterson was signed to a two-year deal prior to the 2024 season, and he was the team's primary kick returner. He is widely considered one of the best to ever do it, but he seemed to have lost a step during his time in Pittsburgh as he dealt with some nagging injuries. Pittsburgh had one of the worst kickoff return units in the league, and it is a part of the game that must be upgraded if the Steelers want to avoid giving the offense bad field position. Head Coach Mike Tomlin spoke to the media after practice on Tuesday, and he shared what the team is thinking when it comes to who will be returning kicks.

Throughout the rest of training camp, fans will see Kenneth Gainwell, Jaylen Warren, Kaleb Johnson, and Roman Wilson returning kicks. The primary kick returner for the 2025 season will likely come from this pool of candidates, and Tomlin especially spoke highly of Gainwell. The back returned kicks for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024, and he averaged over 25 yards per return, which is something Pittsburgh is looking for.

Gainwell is a promising returner, and Warren has returned some kicks in Pittsburgh in the past. He returned nine kicks during the 2024 season and also averaged over 25 yards per return. There is a good chance the two running backs will be back in the end zone on most returns. Johnson could also be sprinkled in, and it will just depend on either player's usage in the game and availability based on health. Warren has been banged up in the past, and the organization might want to save his services for when Pittsburgh is on offense.

Wilson is another player that would intriguing to see return kicks, but he is also coming off of a season where he was riddled with injuries. He is a young player, so he will have to prove himself on special teams, but it might be more so in a gunner role on punt. He should be featured in the offense a decent amount, barring any additions at wide receiver.

Steelers Looking To Avoid Slow Starts On Offense In 2025

Pittsburgh has been plagued by slow starts on offense over the last couple of seasons, and a successful return game could help mitigate that issue. The punt return game has improved over the last year or so with Calvin Austin III returning punts, and the hope is that the Steelers see a similar upgrade on kickoff return. Gainwell's experience and success returning kicks, with Warren also being back there, should give fans some optimism that the offense will be set up for success at the beginning of games.

Football is often a game of winning the field position battle, and that comes down to special teams and the offense getting first downs. The offense should be expected to look a little rugged at the start of the season as most units struggle to gel to begin the campaign. If Pittsburgh can come out firing on special teams, the team should see more success early on.

What do you think about the players being considered to return kicks in 2025? Let us know in the comments below!

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