Mike McCarthy made it clear in his post-draft press conference. Selecting Indiana’s Riley Nowakowski wasn’t just about having an as-needed blocker. McCarthy is leaning on his West Coast roots to bring a ’90s flair to Pittsburgh’s offense. One that includes a fullback. That’s Nowakowski.
If Nowakowski wants a map of what his role could look like, he should turn the page back to 30 years ago. A golden era for fullbacks, there were two years that Pittsburgh rostered John L. Williams.
Williams is best known for his time in Seattle. One of several Penn State first-round backfield mates of that time, Williams was never the star. He was whatever the offense needed him to be. He could block, catch, and run, and regularly did all three.
“Blocking has always been a big part of my game,” Williams told the Los Angeles Times in 1988. “I’ll block for [running back Curt Warner] all day, and it’s the same way with him.
“The defensive people are out to take my head off, so I have to protect myself. If you explode into them, it takes some of the pressure off their hit. It doesn’t intimidate them, but it lets them know you’re not going to let them run all over you.”
In four of his eight seasons with Seattle, he tallied over 1,000 yards from scrimmage. In 1990, Williams rushed for over 700 yards, had nearly as many receiving yards, found the end zone three times, and made the Pro Bowl. He followed that up with a similar performance and the same accolade in 1991.
He spent his final two seasons, 1994 and 1995, in Pittsburgh. Williams carried the ball less frequently in his 30s; most of his action came when injuries struck. In 1994, 20 of his 68 carries came when Bam Morris sat out with an upper left leg injury. He primarily focused on being a receiver. That year, he led the Steelers with 51 receptions for 378 yards and two touchdowns.
In the 1995 AFC Championship Game, Williams caught a touchdown pass to begin the scoring. Pittsburgh would fall to the San Diego Chargers, one game shy of the Super Bowl.
1995 was his final season. Carrying the ball 29 times with another 24 receptions, he again scored in the postseason. This time, he did so as a runner to help blow out the Buffalo Bills.
Riley Nowakowski isn’t cut from the exact same cloth. He’s a little stouter. He’s not nearly as quick nor the ball carrier Williams was. But there’s still overlap in their respective roles. Nowakowski can catch the ball and showcased that last year at Indiana. He can block, catch, run the ball in moments (he had two rushing scores in 2025), and play on special teams.
Plays like the one that Williams had above are the type Nowakowski must make. They’re ones he made in college. This touchdown against Wisconsin was a similar concept, and he also broke a couple of tackles on his way into the end zone.
“I’m excited about it because I love the two-back offense,” McCarthy said after the draft. “There [are] a lot of things, you start in this league in the 90s where the two-back offense was a primary component of normal down and distance. Now, to be able to bring some of that back.”
Blocking can’t be forgotten either. Nowakowski’s primarily role was that in college with the background of a linebacker who likes to hit. He strains and finishes and can lead the way for Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, and whoever else is toting the rock this season.
That’s his path. A multi-faceted fullback who reminds you of one of the stars of the ’80s and ’90s. Roger Craig. Larry Centers. John L. Williams. That’s the ideal role for Riley Nowakowski. The modern NFL world is slowly creeping back to old-school roots; teams are using more tight ends, turning back to the run game, and getting more physical. Nowakowski is entering the league at an opportune time.
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