Jaylen Warren could not catch passes in Saturday’s practice because of a shoulder issue. One day later, he was Pittsburgh’s most dangerous offensive player against Cincinnati.
Warren opened the game with a 30-yard gain on a checkdown and finished with a career-best 176 yards from scrimmage on 20 touches. With Rico Dowdle unavailable, the Steelers repeatedly put the ball in Warren’s hands on runs, pitches and underneath throws.
Quick facts
- Warren recorded 176 yards from scrimmage on 20 touches against the Bengals.
- His shoulder injury kept him from receiving practice throws Saturday.
- An 87-yard fourth-quarter run was erased by a holding penalty on DK Metcalf.
- Dowdle did not practice Monday after suffering a toe injury in New England.
- Pittsburgh visits Cleveland on Thursday night.
Aaron Rodgers said the staff had instructed him not to throw to Warren during the final practice before the Bengals game. The quarterback praised Warren’s ability to play through discomfort and his value to the offense.
“He’s one of the toughest guys I’ve ever played with,” Rodgers said. “I can’t say enough about his energy, how he runs the football and how much he cares about his teammates.”
Warren’s numbers could have been higher. His 87-yard breakaway late in the fourth quarter came back on a holding call against Metcalf, and Warren later stumbled near the 10-yard line when he appeared headed for a touchdown that would have put the game away.
“I wasn’t tired,” Warren said afterward. “My body was tired.”
The performance strengthened the case for Warren to receive a larger share of the backfield work. He entered the league as an undrafted rookie in 2022 and initially earned his roster spot through training-camp work, including the backs-on-backers drills.
With Najee Harris handling the lead role early in Warren’s career, Warren found snaps largely as a third-down option. He then worked in a committee with Kenneth Gainwell last season, while the opening two games this year brought an almost even split between Warren and Dowdle.
Warren is now listed as Pittsburgh’s No. 1 running back, and his production supports a more prominent role. Since entering the NFL, he ranks ninth among rushers in yards per carry at 4.8 and ninth in yards after contact per attempt at 3.3.
His 4.8-yard average is close to Derrick Henry’s and Bijan Robinson’s 4.9 over that span, while exceeding the 4.6 averages posted by Saquon Barkley and Jonathan Taylor.
Wide receiver Ben Skowronek called Warren one of the league’s most overlooked players. Inside linebacker Patrick Queen pointed to Warren’s low center of gravity and unpredictable running style as reasons he is difficult to bring down.
“He does everything at one time,” Queen said. “It’s unique. I think he’s one of one.”
Warren’s receiving ability has become especially valuable in the Mike McCarthy-Aaron Rodgers offense, where backs are frequently involved in the passing game. Since Rodgers arrived in Pittsburgh, Warren has averaged 11.5 yards after the catch per reception, the best mark in the NFL and 0.6 yards ahead of Robinson.
Offensive coordinator Brian Angelico said Warren’s practice habits match his game-day effort, recalling plays where Warren will sprint 40 yards downfield even when he is only involved in a fake handoff.
“He just works every day,” Angelico said.
The Steelers have a short turnaround before Thursday night’s trip to Cleveland. Dowdle’s toe injury kept him out of Monday’s practice, making his availability uncertain and increasing the likelihood that Warren again carries a heavy workload.
