Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy stated that rookie running back Kaleb Johnson starts fresh despite a tough debut season. Speaking at the NFL owners meetings, McCarthy plans to challenge Johnson to become a three-down player. The former Iowa star struggled with limited chances and inefficiency last year.
Kaleb Johnson faced challenges in his 2025 rookie season with the Steelers. The third-round pick saw few opportunities behind Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. A critical special teams error in Week 2 handed a touchdown to the Seahawks in a close Steelers loss, and he averaged just 2.5 yards on 25 carries thereafter. Steelers.com reported McCarthy's comments from Tuesday's NFL owners meetings. Mike McCarthy acknowledged Johnson's past but emphasized a new beginning. “Everybody’s got a clean slate. Let’s just get to work,” McCarthy said. “I’m aware of their past experience. But, you know, this is like a Catholic operation.” He noted Johnson's draft value and special teams mishap while expressing optimism for the young player. McCarthy outlined specific goals for Johnson amid competition from Warren and new signee Rico Dowdle. “I’m gonna challenge him to be a three-down player, challenge him to be a special teams player,” the coach said. Johnson must excel in training camp and preseason to earn touches, building on his college strengths in build, burst, vision, and short-yardage play.