Will Jaylen Warren or Rico Dowdle be the Steelers’ primary runner?
The Steelers added Rico Dowdle to the running back room despite already having Jaylen Warren. How will they manage the two? Both of them believe they are every-down backs, and both have 1,000-yard seasons under their belts. Dowdle has done it with just rushing yards, however, while Warren’s has been yards from scrimmage.
Warren somehow got lost in the popular shuffle with the Steelers all excited about Kenneth Gainwell. This offseason, Gainwell left in free agency on a two-year, $14 million deal after being named team MVP. But Rico Dowdle, the back they signed to replace him, is a very different player.
Dowdle, who previously worked for Mike McCarthy, is coming off consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He registered his first in 2024, during McCarthy’s final season in Dallas. After moving to Carolina last year, he rattled off another 1,000-yard season, seeing more playing time due to injury.
Last season, Jaylen Warren rushed for 958 yards and 6 touchdowns at 4.5 yards per attempt for the Steelers. He recorded 8 total touchdowns and 1,291 yards from scrimmage, all figures career bests across the board.
Over the past two seasons, in two different offenses, on two different teams, Dowdle has retained a 4.6-yard rushing average. He rushed for 1,079 yards in 2024 and 1,076 yards last year. While he only rushed for 2 touchdowns in the former, he managed 6 last season. Combined, he has 12 touchdowns scored since 2024 and over 2,700 yards from scrimmage.
Given the massive turnover on the coaching staff—very nearly everybody—at this point, Rico Dowdle is actually more familiar with what the Steelers’ new offense will be than Jaylen Warren is. He has also been a higher-volume ball carrier during his career, particularly the last two years. Does that, ultimately, give him the edge to see more carries than Warren? The latter, many believe, will also take on a large role in the receiving game, so they could complement each other.
The Steelers exited the playoffs in the first round yet again, a pattern going back to 2017.With seven consecutive postseason losses and no wins in nearly a decade, they are facing another long, long offseason. No doubt we will see many changes, but none will top Mike Tomlin’s resignation.
The NFL has crowned its latest champion, but for us and the Steelers, we have been in offseason mode. That’s what happens when the team you coverloses by the middle of January all the time, but you’ve been around, so you know that already. Enjoy the ride, even the turbulence, because it’s the only way we know how to travel anymore.
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