PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Mike Tomlin said he’s resting a number of the vets again this week because he knows what he has in them, but needs to see more from others. Top of that list is rookie tailback Kaleb Johnson.
The third-round pick rushed eight times for just 20 yards with a long of seven last Saturday in Jacksonville in the preseason opener. Not the burst they were looking for in deciding to move on from Najee Harris.
“I was running more timid trying to get the feel of it,” Johnson said of his first NFL preseason game. “The feel of a different flow of the offense.”
“I just want to see him trust himself more,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “I want to see him play more instinctually, trust his talents. That's reasonable to expect between the first experience and the second experience.”
Johnson said he was hard on himself not only during the game, but after it. He wanted more. He knew he left some yards out there in Jacksonville. The 21-year-old wants to be perfect. He was hard on himself in college and now. In what might seem a juxtaposition, in this case, it’s the coach that wants player to relax a bit.
“I talked to him in the game,” said Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. “Again, learning your players, everybody's wired a little bit different, and some guys are too hard on themselves, and sometimes some guys are delusional and make excuses.”
“Kaleb's a great guy, and that's why it's important for those young guys to get out there. You don't want that to be week one. I don't care who you are, whether it's nerves or excitement. It was a big week for him and for all those rookies.”
What Johnson believes he’s learned from Smith and running backs coach Eddie Faulkner is every little detail matters. If you mess up a little bit on any detail, it can mess up the entire game. He knows he needs to be detailed in everything he does.
“He's a hard worker,” said Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl. “He runs to the challenge. He's a guy that football's really important to him, and you're seeing growth with him. We expect growth from last week to this week. It's just a starting point last week, first game for a young guy.”
“There are some good things to build off. I think a lot of the rookies, we want to see growth from week one to week two, and I think that's a realistic expectation with Kaleb.
“Show them I’m a more comfortable me,” Johnson said. “Being out there last time and getting my feet wet. I was getting used to the new atmosphere. It should be better.”
After being named the 2024 Big 10 running back of the year, expectations are high and opportunities are available with the Steelers. Saturday, there may more eyes on Kaleb than anyone else.