Steelers RB Jaylen Warren Rico Dowdle
Steelers RB Jaylen Warren Rico Dowdle
Mike McCarthy is calling the plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense now. Many fans think that means the Steelers’ passing offense will take off, but the team still has a capable running back duo in Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle. McCarthy even recently gave that pair glowing praise. While McCarthy has more history with Dowdle, Warren is confident that both of Pittsburgh’s top two running backs will get a lot of work.
“I don’t see a difference in my role,” Warren said Monday via the team’s website. “Just go out there, ball. We don’t know the rotation yet. But we know what it is in the running back room. We’re both gonna be playing a significant amount. It’s exciting.”
The Steelers’ first game is right around the corner, so Warren and Dowdle should be finding out how much they’re going to play sooner rather than later. It wouldn’t be surprising to see them split snaps evenly to open the season.
The two of them have similar skill sets, which should make it easier to swap them in and out. Warren and Dowdle are both strong runners, and they’re decent pass-catchers, too. While they aren’t a typical thunder and lightning backfield, they’re both proven players.
Warren has been with the Steelers since 2022, and he’s carved out a nice role for himself. While he initially started as a solid backup to Najee Harris, his role increased last year. Warren rushed for 958 yards and six touchdowns in 2025, while also catching 40 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is Dowdle’s third NFL team, previously spending time with the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers. He actually spent the first five years of his career playing for McCarthy in Dallas, which should help him fit in with the Steelers.
Dowdle is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. That might make some people wonder if Warren could slip back into the complementary role he held when Harris was in Pittsburgh.
However, he sets the record straight here. Expect to see a healthy dose of Warren and Dowdle, at least to open the season. Perhaps things will change as the year goes on, but for now, it sounds like they’ll both see significant time on the field. Given that Aaron Rodgers is 42, that’s a good idea. The Steelers should try to take as much pressure off his shoulders as possible.