Jaylen Warren, once an undrafted free agent, received a surprise extension after being given a second-round RFA tender in March. Having carved out a role despite a first-round pick ahead of him, Warren’s unique path has earned the respect of the locker room. Teammates and RB coach Eddie Faulkner praised the deal in post-practice interviews and on social media yesterday.
Faulkner has been his RB coach since he entered the NFL, and even served as his interim offensive coordinator in 2023. If there’s anybody in the organization that’s seen the work Warren put in, it’s him.
“Well deserved Jaylen Warren! Now let’s roll!” Faulkner wrote on Instagram.
Pat Freiermuth spoke with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette after practice and noted how Warren was the same old hard-working player after signing the contract as if nothing ever happened.
“He didn’t even look too excited about it. That’s kind of him, though. He was acting like it was another day at work, which is why he earned that extension,” Freiermuth told Gerry Dulac.
T.J. Watt takes the cake for the most humorous reaction to Warren’s extension, noting that he finally earned some of the money back from his fines for lowering his helmet. Warren has been fined a handful of times for this because of his physical blocks in pass protection. Some of those fines were…let’s just say controversial.
“He can get back some of that money for lowering the helmet. I’m really happy for Jaylen. He deserves every penny that he got.” Watt told Dulac.
Isaac Seumalo is a lead-by-example veteran on offense and typically doesn’t say much to the media. But he made sure to congratulate Warren for a contract well deserved.
“That’s the kind of guy he is. He’s deserving of it. He busts his tail all the time. That’s awesome for him,” Seumalo told Dulac.
Warren has never entered a season as the top dog in the running back room before as he was stuck behind Najee Harris on the depth chart. This year he will get a chance to prove he was worth every penny of this contract and then some. He can make himself Aaron Rodgers’ best friend with his world-class pass protection skills and being a safety blanket out of the backfield in checkdown scenarios. And this should be the best offensive line Warren’s ever run behind once the young unit jells.
Here is a video from TribLive’s Chris Adamski of Watt recalling Warren’s ascension from an undrafted free agent to a staple of the offense that is now tied to the team through 2027.
TJ Watt recalling how Jaylen Warren made a quick impression as a Steelers undrafted free agent RB 3+ years ago. Warren signed a contract extension today pic.twitter.com/7tRCfcpT5z
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) September 1, 2025
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