Steelers Now
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back Kaleb Johnson knows what he must do to be ready for the start of the regular season.
JACKSONVILLE — Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back Kaleb Johnson was near the top of many fans’ lists of players they were most looking forward to watching against the Jacksonville Jaguars. His NFL debut was far from flashy, though.
Johnson rushed for just 20 yards on eight carries (2.5 yards per carry), reeled in one catch for six yards and dropped another in the 31-25 win. He knows he must be better but was thankful for his first NFL action.
“There’s a lot of things that I can work on,” Johnson said. “I just wanted to get my feet wet and get a feel of the game. Everything’s faster.”
Expectations have been growing all summer for the Steelers’ third-round pick (No. 83 overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Johnson is coming off a breakout season in 2024, when he rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging 6.4 yards per carry at Iowa. He also recorded 22 catches for 188 yards and two more scores.
That has caused many to believe Johnson could be Pittsburgh’s next franchise running back, but his preseason debut may have been disappointing to some.
Johnson is still confident he will translate his play to the next level.
“Just going out there and playing faster,” Johnson said of how he wants to build upon his performance. “Before the first game comes up, I’ll be all ready to go.”
The 21-year-old is a bigger back, standing at 6-foot-1, 224 pounds, but he put his speed on display last season when he reached 22 miles per hour per GPS measurements on field.
He’ll get another chance to show off his game-breaking speed next week when the Steelers host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“It was good to get my feet wet,” Johnson said. “Overall, it’s a game of development, and me just going out there and playing the best I can.”
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Jacksonville, FL.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: ‘Everything’s Faster:’ Steelers RB Kaleb Johnson Knows How to Improve from First NFL Action
