The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to look a lot different at running back during the 2025 season. Over the last four years, Najee Harris has been the lead back for the team, and he was extremely reliable throughout his tenure in the Steel City. Not only was he consistently able to hold onto the football, but he also barely missed a play with limited injuries. Now, Jaylen Warren is taking on the lead back duties to start the year off, while Kenneth Gainwell and rookie Kaleb Johnson fill out the position group.
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Steelers' running back Jaylen Warren running with the football during training camp in Latrobe, PA.
The running back situation is going to be interesting to monitor throughout the 2025 season. Warren is expected to get the bulk of the work, but after a rough showing in his lone preseason appearance, he could be sharing the load with Gainwell and Johnson more than fans might expect. The fan base especially wants to see Johnson, who has only gotten better as the preseason went on. However, insider Ray Fittipaldo went on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday morning, and he doesn't think Johnson will make much of an impact early in the year as Pittsburgh has been impressed with Gainwell.
"I think people are gonna be surprised how much they use Kenneth Gainwell early in the season," Fittipaldo said. "He's a good player. He had limited touches in Philadelphia because of [Saquon] Barkley. I think with increased touches, I think people are gonna be surprised at how good he is and how much the Steelers plan on using him."
Gainwell is entering his first season in Pittsburgh after being signed during free agency, and he spent the first four years of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a great third-down back for the Eagles, although he lived in the shadow of Saquon Barkley during the 2024 season, as Barkley powered his way towards a 2,000-yard season.
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Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Gainwell played well in a win over the Steelers during the 2024 season, as he ran for 20 yards and had 40 receiving yards. He is a diverse back that can bring a bit of explosiveness and experience to the backfield, and the team seems to like that. He will be featured heavy early on in the year according to Fittipaldo, which is not good news for Johnson.
If Warren is entering the year as the lead back and Gainwell is going to be counted on as a big piece of the offense, it is hard to imagine where Johnson is going to fit into everything. He might be the goal line and short-yardage back, but he isn't necessarily set up for success in those situations. Fans are going to want to see him extensively, but that doesn't seem realistic moving forward if the coaching staff is going to want to see Gainwell as a large piece of the offensive production out of the backfield.
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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.
Steelers' Kaleb Johnson Needs To Win Trust Of The Coaching Staff
Johnson clearly improved over the course of Pittsburgh's three preseason games, but there is certainly some more work to do. He seems to still have lapses when it comes to pass protection and catching the football out of the backfield. Those two factors of a running back's game are just as important as actually toting the rock, and until he can do that consistently, it is going to be difficult for him to get onto the field during the regular season. He needs to win over the trust of the coaching staff and prove he can do everything that is needed from a running back, and then his production and playing time might take a leap.
What do you think of this report from Fittipaldo? Let us know in the comments below!
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