PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Kenny Pickett said he's one of the best teammates he's ever had. Mike Tomlin named him as a starter for the first time against the Packers. Undrafted, under-the-radar Jaylen Warren is producing and he's starting to appear on opponents' game plans.
Warren said he heard for the first time when they played the Ravens on October 8, that teams were actually working to stop him. Brought in on a rookie contract from various colleges from Snow College to Utah State to Oklahoma State, Warren had his first NFL 100-yard game on Sunday.
"It was cool," Warren said. "As long as we got the W, that's all I care about."
The 25-year-old from Salt Lake City said he learned his hard work from his high school coaches. His coaches taught him to play through pain with no extra breaks. You had to earn everything you got.
That best describes Warren.
"I've always been doubted," Warren said Monday. "I've never let it get to me. Usually that's fuel and when opportunities present themselves, I take advantage of them."
"I don't really pass the eye test. I don't do too much. I think when you play me, then that's when it shows."
Warren told us on Day 1 of training camp in Latrobe he couldn't wait for the backs-on-backers drills-the most physical, one-on-one opportunity they have in a practice setting.
"Anything that deals with contact I'm looking forward to," Warren said in July. "It's kind of always been the way I played."
"Whoever is in front of me, come get it."
It's like he should be the linebacker. He approaches it with that aggression which may be why he's been fined a couple of times this season for initiating contact with his head down.
"He just plays hard," Tomlin said. "He runs hard. He plays hard. He's a tough, hard-working young man. He's deserving of the recognition and the production that he's providing."
Tomlin gave him recognition, telling him last Friday he would be announced as a starter for the first time at Acrisure Stadium. He came out and did a surfer move. He said he doesn't surf and wasn't sure what to do, but was trying to pay homage to his Polynesian heritage.
Could he have ever imagined being announced as a starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers?
"I don't usually expect anything or envision anything," Warren said. "I put my best foot forward and whatever happens, happens."
He said hard work, sacrifice and discipline got him into this position. Warren is part of a running game that's totaled 371 yards in the last two games. He, like Harris, gave all the credit to the offensive line. He said they had success because of what was happening up front.
That starts the energy and when those plays start happening, that energy gets reciprocated. He said that allows them to have fun when they are playing. Warren said when they are having fun, that's when they play their best.
The challenges get tougher on Sunday. The Browns are second only to the Jaguars in rushing yards allowed in the AFC and held the Steelers to 55 yards in the first game. Regardless of the challenge, know Warren is coming to play.
"As a teammate, the way he goes about his business," Pickett said of what has impressed him about Warren. "How hard he plays. The way he practices."
"One of the best teammates I would say I've had in my football career. Can't say enough great things about 30 and what he does for us."
