The Pittsburgh Steelers are fully engulfed in training camp ahead of the 2025 season, and tempers have been flaring ever since the team put pads on for the first time on Wednesday. This is seen every year, and it also seems to be heightened when the team participates in its annual "Friday Night Lights" practice. The team always goes out to a local high school and completes a practice there in front of a stadium full of fans. Emotions are running high as it is the closest practice the players will have to a game prior to the first preseason matchup.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike Tomlin on the field before facing the Cleveland Browns in Week 12 of the 2024 season.
Fights will break out during team periods, but they are also seen during individual competition. This was the case on Friday for Pittsburgh, as the team went through backs on backers as well as one-on-ones between receivers and the secondary.
Backs on backers is a pass protection drill for running backs and tight ends, and they will line up across from defenders and attempt to block them. It gets chippy, and that was the case for rookie running back Kaleb Johnson and linebacker Mark Robinson.
Mike Tomlin wants to see Mark Robinson vs. Kaleb Johnson … and they’re fighting. Both sides clear from offense and defense. That was a brawl by the end.
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) August 2, 2025
Robinson might not be a major contributor on the defense for Pittsburgh, but he is a true athletic specimen. He is fast and powerful, and that presents a pretty tall task for Johnson, who is trying to improve his pass protection. According to the reporting from insider Brian Batko, Johnson and Robinson began fighting, which turned into other players fighting from the offense and defense. It led to a fairly large brawl.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' rookie Kaleb Johnson carrying the football during mandatory mini camp.
Johnson was very vocal about wanting to step up his pass protection. It is the best way to see the field as a young running back in the league. Luckily for him, he is in the same room as Jaylen Warren, who is one of the top backs in the league in that regard. He can learn from his teammate, and is clearly catching onto a thing or two as he was able to beat Robinson in the rep after the fight broke out.
Not sure about the first rep that devolved into fisticuffs but Kaleb Johnson certainly won the second one and RBs coach Eddie Faulkner is big pumped for his rookie.
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) August 2, 2025
The rookie running back still has a long way to go in pass protection, but he has been making strides throughout camp. That has certainly been because of tips he has picked up from Warren, as well as getting used to life in the NFL. He made his presence known on Friday by starting a major brawl during the drill, and then coming back a minute later to win the rep.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Trey Sermon during rookie minicamp in Pittsburgh in 2025.
Steelers Running Backs Wanted All The Smoke During Friday Night Lights
The fight between Johnson and Robinson was not the only one. Players came rushing into the fold as a brawl broke out, and veteran running back Trey Sermon found himself in the middle of a fight with linebacker Devin Harper. It was reported by Brooke Pryor that their fight began just after the initial brawl was broken up.
It’s not truly backs-on-backers until there’s a fight. Kaleb Johnson and Mark Robinson get into it after a rep and it turns into a scrum between the two groups of players. Then Trey Sermon and Devin Harper started scrapping as the first scrum died down.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) August 2, 2025
Those are two guys that are fighting for a spot on the final roster, so it is a bit risky to get into a brawl in the middle of practice, especially after the fight was just broken up. However, Head Coach Mike Tomlin has been known to smirk as brawls like these as they breakout during practice.
What do you think about the fights coming out of practice for the Steelers? Let us know in the comments below!
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