Kaleb Johnson made his professional debut for the Pittsburgh Steelers last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but his performance fell short of expectations. The former Iowa running back, who entered the preseason with plenty of hype, managed just 20 yards on eight carries.
On Saturday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, however, Johnson flashed the explosiveness that made him a draft-day target for Pittsburgh, offering a glimpse of the potential impact he could bring to the offense.
Kaleb Johnson Bounces Back Strong in Preseason Week 2
Jaylen Warren enters the season as Pittsburgh’s established starter, but the Steelers drafted Johnson with hopes he could eventually take over that role. While Johnson’s debut last week left a lot to be desired, the rookie bounced back strong against the Bucs, and it won’t be wrong to say he does have the talent to take over Warren.
Johnson rushed for 50 yards on 11 carries while also catching a pass for nine yards. His speed was on full display, and there was a noticeable improvement in his burst compared to his debut. The 22-year-old was evading defenders with ease, making a strong case to share touches with Warren early in the season.
Great run by Kaleb Johnson here for 14! #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/xz8RBg5Rj9
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) August 17, 2025
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was impressed with Johnson’s performance, and he made it clear he expected nothing less from the rookie.
“Harmon and Kaleb Johnson really took a step forward off of their first performance,” Tomlin said in Saturday’s postgame press conference. “But again, that’s a reasonable thing to expect. Second time stepping into a stadium, you see more of their talents.”
While Johnson acknowledged his improvement, he is still focused on getting better and hungry for more playing time.
“I’m a very high-volume carry runner,” Johnson said. “I feel like that applied to me when I was at Iowa. I’m just trying to get back to the basics of me being in shape and just finishing that off.”
Johnson comes to the Steelers with impressive credentials from his time at Iowa, where he dominated the Big Ten in 2024 and rushed for 1,537 yards on 240 carries, averaging 6.4 yards per attempt while scoring 21 rushing touchdowns and 23 total scores. Those numbers earned him Big Ten Running Back of the Year honors and Second-Team Associated Press All-America recognition.
That production translated into an NFL-ready skill set, with his college tape highlighting a one-cut, downhill style and explosive finishing ability. Against Tampa Bay, those traits finally came alive, offering a glimpse of the running back the Steelers hope he will become.
