Steelers Rookie RB Gets Blunt About Poor Debut

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers left their first preseason game with a victory and plenty of positive outlooks on a number of players. Names like Broderick Jones and Roman Wilson turned heads with their performances, along with Skylar Thompson and Mason Rudolph impressing at the quarterback position, and making life behind Aaron Rodgers feel a lot more comfortable.

But one name who didn't do too much in their debut was third-round rookie running back Kaleb Johnson.

Aug 9, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson (20) is tackled after a run against the Jacksonville Jaguars during a preseason game at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images / Travis Register-Imagn Images

Johnson finished the game with eight rushes fro 20 yards, averaging 2.5 yards per carry. He also one reception for six yards.

Johnson wasn't alone in his struggles on the ground as the Steelers finished their matchup in Jacksonville with 66 rushing yards on 25 attempts, averagin 2.6 yards per carry.

Johnson was thrilled to see the field for the first time during an NFL preseason game, but knows it's just a stepping stone toward what's ahead. And, right now, he's focused on growth instead of trying to make his first outing out to be something bigger.

"It was good to get my feet wet," Johnson told PennLive's Nick Farabaugh. "Overall, it’s a game of development, and me just going out there and playing the best I can."

Johnson didn't hold back when talking about his performance and how he'd like to improve. The Steelers have very high hopes for the third-round running back, viewing him as the future of the position.

But the growth is still ahead of him, and Johnson knows that.

"There’s a lot of things that I can work on," Johnson said. "I just wanted to get my feet wet and get a feel of the game. Everything’s faster. Just going out there and playing faster. Before the first game comes up, I’ll be all ready to go."

In his final season at Iowa, Johnson ran for 1537 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. He'd like to make that same impact in the NFL with the Steelers.

Growth will come, and Johnson knows that. After his first live game as a professional, he's ready to get back to work and see what kind of improvements he came make before his second game.