Steelers running back Jaylen Warren carries during the second half of an NFL football game against the Bengals at Acrisure Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Pittsburgh.
It wasn’t supposed to work out this way. It wasn’t planned that Jaylen Warren would be the Steelers’ workhorse.
Not that anyone is complaining — at least not right now.
“He’s been the heart of the offense these past two weeks,” running back Rico Dowdle said Tuesday.
Warren hadn’t had much choice.
Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, second from left, and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, second from right, stand together during the second half against the Bengals in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026.
Dowdle was signed in free agency to create a 1-2 punch in the Pittsburgh backfield. However, he dislocated his toe — not once, but twice — and also suffered turf toe in the Week 2 loss in New England. He missed the past two games and his status for Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts remains uncertain.
With Dowdle out, Warren stepped to the forefront and became the Steelers’ best offensive weapon.
Warren ranks ninth in the NFL in rushing yards, seventh in scrimmage yards and third in runs of 20-plus yards. In the past two games, Warren has accounted for 302 yards from scrimmage — 223 of them on the ground.
In the past two games, he played 94% of the offensive snaps. And through four games this season, Warren has logged 201 offensive snaps. He is quickly closing in on the 489 snaps he played all of last season.
That’s no problem for the 5-foot-8, 215-pound Warren.
“Whatever they ask of me, I’ll do,” Warren said. “I’ll produce, whether that’s five plays or 50 plays.”
But that sizable of a workload will be something of a concern for the Steelers should it continue.
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting pauses on the sideline during NFL football training camp, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz.
“We definitely want to take a look at that,” offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio said. “Jaylen’s been a complete warrior. He’s done a phenomenal job. He’s tough. So much credit to him for what he does in pass protection and in the run game. Certainly, we look at the reps and monitor that and need to get him a spell if we can.”
Warren has 55 carries. While that number ranks just 21st among NFL running backs, it is the second most of any four-game stretch in his career. Including his 13 receptions for 143 yards, Warren has 68 touches so far.
“I think it’s a benefit to Rico and Jaylen to have them play as a 1-2 punch type,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “I think the most important thing is it’s a long year, but I’m still going to try to get the ball to Jaylen as much as we can.”
Not all teams employ a rotational two-back system, but the Steelers have done it several times over the years, such as when Jerome Bettis rotated with Duce Staley in 2004 and 2005. Eventually, the rotation included Willie Parker.
There have been exceptions. For example, Najee Harris was a one-man show in his rookie year.
Once Warren arrived as an undrafted free agent from Oklahoma State in 2022, Harris’ workload began to ease. By 2023, the touches were more evenly divided — Harris had 284, Warren 210.
“Honestly, my opinion on that, I don’t think it’s necessarily necessary,” Dowdle said. “But I think it is good to have two backs that can go out there and get the job done and allowing for it to have a fresh back on the field at all times.”
That was the plan when the Steelers signed Dowdle to a two-year, $12.25 million deal in free agency. With the loss of Kenny Gainwell, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they wanted a second back to pair with Warren.
In 2024, Dowdle ran for a career-best 1,079 yards under McCarthy in Dallas.
But Dowdle’s injury has derailed that for the time being.
He carried eight times for 15 yards in the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons and started the following week against the New England Patriots. He carried seven times for 22 yards before dislocating his toe a second time.
“The first time I did it, I came to the sideline and I’m like, ‘Damn, my toe broke,’” Dowdle said. “So I went to the [medical] tent, and it was dislocated. And they popped it back in, did the X-rays. Nothing was broken. Once they popped it back in, I felt good. So I want to go back in the game and play.”
The Steelers’ medical staff cleared him to re-enter the game.
“But they said if it pops out again, you got to be done,” Dowdle said. “And then it popped out again, so I had to be done that day.”
With Dowdle out, Warren has logged most of the offensive snaps.
Rookie Eli Heidenreich, the team’s third running back, has played only three snaps. Travis Homer and Lew Nichols have been activated from the practice squad since Dowdle’s injury, but they have combined to play just 10 snaps.
“I'm excited about our young guys,” McCarthy said. “I think it’s important for us to give these guys an opportunity.”
Warren might need that breather eventually.
First Published: October 6, 2026, 11:32 a.m.