Steelers Now
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson wants as many carries as he can get before the start of the season.
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back Kaleb Johnson had a much better showing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers than that of a week ago, and he thinks it’s because he got more touches.
The Steelers’ third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft believes he only gets better during games the more opportunities he receives. That is exactly why he hopes he’ll continue to get more with just one game left until the start of the regular season.
“I’m a very high-volume carry runner,” Johnson said. “I feel like that applied to me when I was at Iowa. I’m just trying to get back to the basics of me being in shape and just finishing that off.”
Johnson did underwhelm in his preseason debut last week, rushing for just 20 yards on eight carries (2.5 yards per carry), reeling in one catch for six yards and dropping another.
Then on Saturday night, he seemed to turn a corner, rushing for 50 yards on 11 carries (4.5 yards per carry) and reeling in his only target for nine yards.
Johnson’s performance even caught the attention of some of his teammates, including former first-round pick Troy Fautanu.
“As you can see, Kaleb Johnson is a dude,” he said.
It wasn’t a significant difference in touches for Johnson, but it could have been enough to help him start to get in a groove.
Johnson recognized that he was more accumulated to the NFL’s speed this week but also admitted that he still has a ways to go.
“What did I mess up on today? What can I do to get better? That’s all I’ll be looking at,” Johnson added. “I feel like I could have played even more aggressive than what I played and what I showed. It’s gonna keep developing over time every time.”
Johnson clearly has the mentality and work ethic to be successful at the next level. If the Steelers continue to give him more opportunities in their preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers, he may just have enough momentum to make an immediate impact at the start of the season.
In 2024, Johnson 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.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Rookie Kaleb Johnson Wants More Touches: ‘I’m a Very High-Volume Carry Runner’
