The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered a preseason home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday.
Pittsburgh’s offense was underwhelming tonight, as the unit posted just 14 points and committed three turnovers. However, one of the lone bright spots from their abysmal performance was the play of rookie running back Kaleb Johnson.
Johnson struggled to find much running room in his preseason debut last week versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the Iowa product had a major bounce-back game on Saturday in Pittsburgh.
Kaleb Johnson stats vs. Bucs
| Carries | 11 |
| Rushing Yards | 50 |
| Yards per carry | 4.5 |
| Touchdowns | 0 |
| Longest rush | 14 |
| Receptions | 1 |
| Yards | 9 |
| Targets | 1 |
Johnson looked much more comfortable on Saturday compared to last week. The 22-year-old was less hesitant and took advantage of the running lanes created by his offensive line.
Additionally, Johnson showcased his burst, power, and ability to create extra yards after first contact.
The 2025 third-round pick’s longest rush of the night was for 14 yards, as he went untouched for about ten yards and seamlessly found a gaping hole to run.
Johnson likely won’t be a starter to begin his rookie campaign, but he’s clearly the Steelers’ running back of the future and should have a role on the offense in 2025.
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