The Pittsburgh Steelers just signed running back Jaylen Warren to a two-year extension on Monday. The deal comes as quite the Labor Day surprise, with Warren set to receive a guaranteed $12 million. Warren will be the Steelers' starting running back for the first time in his career and is in prime position to thrive throughout 2025.
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Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Warren will be entering his fourth NFL season and will play a crucial role in Arthur Smith's offense. The running back was an excellent complement to Najee Harris over the last few seasons and will now have an opportunity to truly establish himself among the league's top running backs. A number of people have continued to share their excitement towards Warren's extension all throughout social media, with former Steelers players James Harrison and Joe Haden sharing their thoughts during a recent episode of Deebo & Joe.
Haden spoke about how the move will benefit the Steelers in the long run, while also praising Warren for the way he plays the game.
"I love this move," Haden said. "Because Jaylen Warren, he hits that hole like he cares. He's going to get north and south, he's going to catch the ball out of the backfield, he's going to block, and he looks like he just cares to me."
Haden continued to speak about Warren's clear passion for the game and how valuable of an asset he is to Pittsburgh's offense.
"When I see him run, I see his passion, and I see him being a very, very good asset to this team," Haden explained.
Warren's future with the Steelers past 2025 was unknown prior to his extension. Pittsburgh drafted former Iowa Hawkeyes standout Kaleb Johnson in the third round of this year's draft, as Johnson is a very talented rookie with massive upside. Warren will be the top running back on the depth chart in 2025 to start the season, but with an extension now in place, both running backs could very well find themselves competing for the starting role for years to come.
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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.
An undrafted free agent in 2022, Warren signed with the Steelers and quickly proved why he was worthy of a roster spot. Warren was a star on the college level as well as he split time at both Utah State and Oklahoma State. The talented running back will have the largest workload he has ever dealt with in 2025 and could find himself among the better running backs in all of football.
Steelers' Jaylen Warren Could Have A Career Year In 2025
With Warren set to take on the majority of the workload in the Steelers' backfield this season, the promising running back could easily emerge as one of the better running backs in the NFL this year. Johnson and Kenneth Gainwell should get their fair share of reps as well, but Warren is the clear top option and is expected to lead the way in the backfield. Warren was credited with 511 yards and just one touchdown on the season last year but can easily get right back on track with Harris officially out of Pittsburgh.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren (30) and Najee Harris (22) during an away game.
The former Oklahoma State star will have a large enough workload to turn heads throughout the entire league in 2025. Warren struggled last season with injuries and fumbles, but will have a much bigger role and many more opportunities to play at a higher level. The Steelers' starting running back will look to get off to a fast start this year as Pittsburgh will be in New Jersey to face the New York Jets during Week 1 on Sunday.
Are you a fan of Warren's extension? What do you expect out of the promising running back in 2025? Let us know what you think in the comments down below!
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