If Kaleb Johnson lost his confidence during his tumultuous rookie season, he’s managed to find it again this offseason. Going into Year 2, he is determined to flush the past and make his mark. Understanding that he has competition ahead of him, he’s just focusing on being prepared for his moment.
A third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Kaleb Johnson seemed like a perfect fit for the Steelers. Particularly for the offense run by former OC Arthur Smith, who of course is no longer in Pittsburgh. But he also profiles similarly to their other running backs, Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, which HC Mike McCarthy knows how to use.
Johnson talked about his conversations with McCarthy, being in his ear about what the coach needs from him. McCarthy appreciated that, saying he was among the first to reach out and seek help. All of it is in service to his goal, proving himself along the way.
“When my time comes, I’ll shine”, Johnson said, via the Steelers’ website. “Right now, it’s just me doing the little things, getting better. Just waiting on my time to come. That’s my main thing. In my mind, just waiting on my time to come and, like I said, I’m gonna shine, for sure”.
Playing behind Warren and Kenneth Gainwell last year, Johnson struggled to get onto the field. To that end, the Steelers handed him the kick-return job, which he promptly handed back. Early in the season, he failed to field a kick, which Pittsburgh’s opponent recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.
Many attribute that moment to Kaleb Johnson losing his confidence, flushing his rookie season along with it. It’s an easy narrative, but only Johnson can say how much of it is valid. The reality is that even before that, he didn’t look as NFL ready as everybody anticipated. But now, with a year of experience under his belt, he is prepared and knows what to expect.
“I know what to do. When I come in here, I have a routine”, Johnson said as he prepares for a potential roster battle. “Just come here early, lift, and go up there and see what I can do better. Whatever I messed up on the day, go back in there, see what I can do better on”.
While the Steelers lost Gainwell in free agency, they replaced him with Dowdle. They also signed Travis Homer, a special teams ace, and drafted Eli Heidenreich, who personally feels running back is his natural position. At the very least, that puts Kaleb Johnson on notice. Even third-round picks don’t necessarily see two years of scholarship without some return on investment. And this current coaching staff isn’t married to him, as it wasn’t the one that drafted him.
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