The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of work to do if the main goal for the 2025 season is to seriously compete in the AFC. One of the most important components of the team will be the rushing offense. Everyone knows that Aaron Rodgers has enough experience to drum up some consistency in the passing game, but if defenses are constantly favoring the pass, it could go poorly for the unit. A trio of Jaylen Warren, Kaleb Johnson and Kenneth Gainwell should spark some excitement, but the preseason hasn't gone perfectly for the group when it comes to consistency.
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Steelers running back Jaylen Warren carries the football during a team practice session ahead of the 2025 season as he continues works towards preparing for an expanded role in Pittsburgh’s backfield.
The unit looked to have taken a step forward during Thursday's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. The box score doesn't tell the whole story, however, as the starting squad with Warren carrying the football was not very impressive. The lead back carried the two times for three yards and Gainwell received two touches that went for seven.
After the 19-10 victory, Head Coach Mike Tomlin spoke to members of the media in a very brief appearance. A reporter asked about the poor rushing attack, and the quick response he received was not at all welcoming from the Steelers' head coach.
"We're what, 18 [rushes] for 99 [yards], so what do you want," Tomlin said in a sassy tone.
While Tomlin was spot on with the statistics, he failed to note that six of the 18 carries and 53 of the 99 yards came from cut candidates in Trey Sermon and Lew Nichols. The top three ball carriers on the depth chart only handled the ball only nine times for a total of 34 yards on the ground. That didn't matter to Tomlin after the media member expanded on the question, mentioning that early on in the contest, the rushing attack wasn't very strong.
"A game is 60 minutes," Tomlin noted.
It's very evident that Tomlin didn't want to hold any of the roster locks accountable for another unfortunate preseason showing. If Pittsburgh can't find a way to run the ball effectively in 2025, it's going to be another long season for the offense. It will be imperative to take the couple of weeks leading up to the regular season to get the offensive line and running backs on the same page.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin roams the practice field as his team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Johnson has received the most reps out of the top three, and rightfully so, as the rookie looks to get his feet wet at the NFL level. Unfortunately, Warren's only showing of the exhibition portion of the year saw him rush for just two yards on two carries. For Gainwell, he received four handoffs that went for a total of nine yards throughout August. Despite limited opportunities, the numbers are concerning regardless.
Tomlin may not have wanted to throw anyone under the bus in the moment, but treating the question as if was uncalled for was improper. It was fair, and fans deserve to get answers about a poor showing from the starting unit, instead of responses that don't help anyone. The Steelers will work on several things in the coming weeks, and at the top of the list has to be getting Warren and Gainwell in peak form; otherwise, it's going to be a very tough beginning to the 2025 campaign.
It's fair to note that Rodgers did not play against the Panthers, but pretty much every other starter suited up for the game, aside from DK Metcalf. Less-than-ideal performances from the running backs should absolutely spark some concern.
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Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson runs with the football as he goes through a drill while the team participates in a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
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Rodgers is one of the best of all time when it comes to confusing defenses. He has a heck of a fake handoff, which leads one to believe that the coaching staff will tap into this ability throughout the course of the season. For that to become very effective, Pittsburgh needs to ask a lot out of the offensive line and running backs. There isn't too much confidence as the preseason concludes, so practices leading up until the opener will be pivotal.
Do you think that the Steelers are in trouble when it comes to the running game? Let us know in the comments below!
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