Every Pittsburgh Steelers fan is eager to find out what the team's quarterback situation will look like for the upcoming season. However, the backfield saw a few significant changes in free agency. Kenneth Gainwell left the team to sign with the Buccaneers in free agency, while Rico Dowdle and Travis Homer joined the Steelers' roster. This left a major question about the future of 2025 third-round pick Kaleb Johnson.
Head coach Mike McCarthy is in Phoenix, Arizona, for the annual NFL league meetings. When asked about Johnson and what his future with the team might hold, McCarthy gave a bizarre analogy that, in a weird way, offers hope for what Johnson could offer the Steelers in 2026, per Mark Kaboly.
"I am aware of [Kaleb Johnson's] past experiences, but this is like a Catholic operation — you say three Hail Marys and everybody has a clean slate, and let's get to work."
I'm not sure if many other coaches would have put it this way, but this analogy gets the job done. McCarthy's point is that, with a new coaching staff in place, the young running back will get a fresh start and another chance to prove himself.
This couldn't have come at a better time.
Kaleb Johnson will get a shot to prove his worth to new Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike McCarthy
The way things were headed with Johnson after his rookie season, it felt like the young running back had already reached the point of no return. The combination of Mike Tomlin and Aaron Rodgers—two football minds who value veteran wisdom and assignment execution—proved catastrophic for Johnson's early NFL opportunities.
While the change in coaching staff might be a welcome sight for Johnson entering Year 2, it's not all sunshine and rainbows for the 22-year-old running back.
Though McCarthy is known for a zone-heavy rushing attack, many of these runs come from shotgun when his team is in 11 personnel. This might not be an ideal role for Johnson, who did his best work in college running outside the tackle from a single-back or offset 'I' formation. Johnson is a one-cut-and-go runner without much wiggle in his game to be effective from shotgun.
Meanwhile, the former Iowa star has another uphill battle, as he will now need to find a way to stand out in a running back room that includes starting-capable talents like Rico Dowdle in addition to Jaylen Warren. And his path to a role could be even harder if Travis Homer earns a roster spot for his capabilities on special teams.
McCarthy will soon enough find out whether Johnson can mesh with his new-look offense in Pittsburgh. If he can't, the Steelers should cut their losses and search for a trade partner while the young RB still holds value. At least McCarthy is open-minded enough to allow Johnson to start with a clean slate this year.