Offensive identities are crucial for franchises determined to establish long-term success. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, gaining yards between the tackles with explosive rushers has been the calling card for centuries. But after a streak of uncertainty, it's obvious Mike McCarthy’s unit is viewed as a lethal rushing threat.
And Sharp Football Analytics’ recent backfield rankings add more insult to injury.
According to Warren Sharp, Pittsburgh's running back group ranks 20th in projections. It was an eye-opener for fans accustomed to Pittsburgh’s rushers being the most-utilized skill group. The combination of Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, and Kaleb Johnson earned a score of 42 out of a possible 100 points.
And it could be considered high praise.
In 2025, Pittsburgh’s run offense was middle of the pack. When plays were stuffed at the line of scrimmage, Aaron Rodgers was forced to create magic. The aging veteran held his own, but could only do so much before even his greatness grew limitations.
At the end of the campaign, the Steelers finished with 1,756 total rushing yards. Their honest attempt to revive a once-feared identity was noteworthy. But it eventually became evident that more than hope was needed to bring about change.
The Pittsburgh Steelers timely upgrades will help jumpstart a non-existent rushing attack
So Omar Khan’s front office wasted little time.
They immediately agreed to a two-year, $12.25 million deal with newcomer Rico Dowdle. Brock Hoffman, Gennings Dunker, and Riley Nowakowski were also added to the roster to create more room at the line of scrimmage.
Sharp is aware of these innovations to the roster, but still finds it hard to put faith in McCarthy’s rushers.
“The Steelers have depth in the backfield, but do they have enough juice to scare anybody?” Sharp questioned.“When avoiding contact in the backfield, Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle only rank 23rd and 25th out of 49 qualifiers in the rate of gaining 10 or more yards.”
It’s hard to argue with the numbers. Especially when the evidence from previous Pittsburgh campaigns backs the claim.
On the other hand, I find it hard to believe the Steelers RBs will turn down a challenge. Dowdle has managed consecutive 1,000-yard rushing campaigns. Warren was a hair shy of the benchmark last season (958). He's already a determined tailback, so imagine what more motivation could unlock?
In truth, we have not witnessed an explosive Pittsburgh rushing attack in quite some time. But I refuse to turn my back on McCarthy’s group before the season begins. Timely additions to the roster and new leadership under Mike McCarthy lead me to believe this season will yield different results. With detailed preparation, I know the Steelers can restore dominance. And it starts with rushing the football effectively.
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