Insider: Mike Tomlin's Botched Handling Of 1 Steelers Player May Have Ruined His Career Now

The Pittsburgh Steelers are hoping to have a truly explosive offense for the first time since the mid 2010s. That's why they hired an offensive-minded head coach in Mike McCarthy and loaded up on potential weapons even before the NFL Draft. Expectations are that they will continue to add pieces to the offense and make it as a dangerous as possible for now and the future. That may include additions via the draft, free agency, trades, or any combination of those three. There is no such thing as too much depth. 

The Steelers may have another weapon waiting in the wings if he gets the right treatment and motivation. In his latest mailbag, insider Mike DeFabo gave a lot of hope to a much-maligned weapon that seemed to never recover from a Week 2 blunder last season.

"I’m probably higher on [Kaleb] Johnson than most," DeFabo said. "I still think he can be productive. The way the Steelers handled his botched kick return ruined his confidence."

Kaleb Johnson went viral for forgetting the rules of the kickoff and allowing the Seattle Seahawks to recover their own kick in the end zone for a touchdown. That play squashed any chance Pittsburgh had of making a comeback as they lost 31-17. It definitely went beyond a rookie mistake, as that kind of play almost never happens. There is simply no excuse for allowing a play like that to occur.

However, that should not translate to his lack of usage on offense the way it did. Unless Jaylen Warren was out due to injury, Johnson only got minimal carries throughout the season, and it was mostly for a very short gains. He never got a proper chance to prove that he is actually a highly talented running back, or to let people know that he was more than just one horrific play. 

Until he gets a legitimate shot to get some sort of playing time and not just carry the ball late in the fourth quarter when defenses can stack nine men in the box, he will only be known as the player that forgot the kickoff rules and allowed a free touchdown. That's not who he is, but until he's able to break a run loose and show off his skill set, that's who outsiders will think he is. The talent is there, but he needs confidence and a boost from the new coaching staff.

Steelers May Just Want To Trade Johnson

It doesn't look like Johnson will get that opportunity, at least in Pittsburgh. The Steelers signed Rico Dowdle to split carries with Warren and work on the power run game. He likely won't get as many opportunities to catch the ball as Kenneth Gainwell did, but with the contract they're giving him, they will allow the free agent acquisition to come in and get plenty of touches to prove the team right by signing him. 

With Warren and Dowdle splitting carries, there most likely will not be a chance for Johnson to show what he can do on a regular basis, barring injuries. He will once again be relegated to RB3 at best, and he will probably get a few touches late in the fourth quarter when the game is already decided. That is not how you build up the confidence of a young, struggling player. 

At this point, Johnson's value is extremely low, so it will be hard for Pittsburgh to actually try to move him, but for his own sake, it may be best to request a trade. There are other running back-needy teams that will be willing to give him a chance. Ironically, the Seahawks are suddenly a team in need at that position.

What do you think about Johnson's confidence being low and him not getting a chance to prove himself? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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