Steelers Now
UNITY TWP., Pa. — With the Pittsburgh Steelers releasing Cordarrelle Patterson on Monday, the team’s kickoff returner position appears to be one of the few true vacancies to be battled over throughout the remainder of training camp.
Patterson and Jaylen Warren served as the team’s kickoff returners throughout almost all of the 2024 season, but neither had much success in the role. Patterson was the worst regular kickoff returner in the league, with a 21.8 yards per return average, and Warren didn’t fare much better at 25.2 yards per kickoff.
This year, the Steelers will turn that position over, with Warren among those in competition for the job this training camp.
“We’re not devoid of candidates,” head coach Mike Tomlin said. “Really, really excited about Kenny Gainwell in that area. Certainly, Jaylen Warren’s got some experience in that area. We’re looking at Kaleb Johnson. We’re looking at Roman Wilson. We’re not devoid of candidates. I’m pretty comfortable with the pool of candidates, but there’s still some work to sort out.”
Gainwell averaged 25.3 yards per return last season as the primary returner for the Philadelphia Eagles. Johnson returned kickoffs as an underclassman at Iowa, bringing back 13 kicks in his freshman year and two as a sophomore. He didn’t do it all in 2024. Wilson returned six kicks over four years at Michigan.
The one job on special teams that isn’t open is punt returner, where Calvin Austin III had a touchdown last season and was one of five NFL punt returners with over 22 returns to average over 10 yards per return.
Tomlin said he’s keeping Austin at punt returner, despite a projected increased role in the team’s offense this season.
“No, I like him there,” Tomlin said. “He’s got a desire to be the best in the world. He’s made some dramatic improvements. He was moving in that direction over the course of the last season. He’s excited about taking another step in that area.”
Rookie cornerback Donte Kent, who was a punt returner at Central Michigan, would have been Austin’s major competition for that job, but it sounds as if Tomlin is ready to roll with Austin at that spot — making Kent’s job to make the team a little bit more difficult.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Mike Tomlin Declares Open Competition for Steelers Kick Returner Job
