Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin recently spoke to the media ahead of his team's Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Tomlin praised several Browns players, but he couldn't find enough good things to say about rookie running back Quinshon Judkins.
"I can't say enough about what I'm seeing from [Quinshon] Judkins," Tomlin said during his Tuesday presser. "This guy's played in four games; he started three. He had absolutely no training camp to speak of, and that really highlights what it is that we're looking at."
This was only the beginning of Tomlin's praise for the rookie running back.
"He's a tough runner," Tomlin continued, "He's good inside. He's got good patience and picking vision on interior running. He finishes off his runs with violence. He's underrated in terms of his ability to bounce it to the perimeter and pop long ones."
Tomlin wrapped up his thoughts on Judkins by calling him a 'complete back' and one who 'can wear a defensive unit down'.
"I've seen this guy a lot. Obviously, we got a lot of his teammates from [Ohio] State, and so I've seen a lot of his video. Man, he is a complete back. He's the type of guy who can wear a defensive unit down. Certainly fits their mold; is an awesome replacement for Nick Chubb," Tomlin concluded.
Interestingly, Tomlin didn't have much to say when asked about his own rookie running back, Kaleb Johnson. The Steelers' head coach admitted that 'sometimes there isn't always pleasant moments.' He reassured the media that the longer the season goes on, he is sure Johnson is going to develop. This wasn't exactly the same endorsement he gave Judkins just minutes earlier.
Mike Tomlin may already regret the Pittsburgh Steelers' running back choice in the 2025 NFL Draft
Whether he will openly admit it or not, Coach Tomlin isn't yet a believer in Kaleb Johnson. This isn't just evidenced by the lack of praise Johnson received in Tomlin's Week 6 press conference; it's reflected in Johnson's minimal usage early in the 2025 season.
Johnson received just four offensive snaps and two rushing attempts in Pittsburgh's first three games of the season. And after a costly special teams error in Week 2, Johnson never saw the field for an offensive snap in the team's third game against the New England Patriots.
The rookie running back finally seemed to exit Tomlin's dog house in Week 4 when he carried the ball six times for 22 yards while earning 11 offensive snaps. However, watching Tomlin's face light up when talking about OSU product Quinshon Judkins is a clear sign that he has remorse about the running back his team drafted.
To be fair, Judkins went too early in the draft for the Steelers to take a shot on him. Unless Omar Khan and Andy Weidl would have been willing to use their valuable first-round pick on a running back, there wasn't any chance of landing Judkins (who was selected with the 36th overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft).
Perhaps Tomlin's unwillingness to praise Johnson in the same light as Judkins is just his way of making his own running back earn it. Or maybe he would be willing to trade Johnson for Judkins in a heartbeat.