PHOENIX — Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson went to the public high school in Hamilton, Ohio. There’s no indication whether, like new Steelers coach and Bishop Boyle alumnus Mike McCarthy, he was raised Catholic.
But that doesn’t mean McCarthy’s message delivered by way of a colorful Catholic analogy won’t get through to Johnson.
“This is like a Catholic operation,” McCarthy said of the Steelers while speaking Tuesday at the NFL owners meetings. “You go to say three Hail Mary’s, the priest blesses you, and everybody’s got a clean slate. So, let’s just get to work.”
The relevant part about what McCarthy said is that Johnson will be given a clean slate to prove that his borderline-disastrous rookie season won’t define his Steelers career. But while McCarthy says Johnson isn’t opening up immediately in the proverbial doghouse, the Steelers’ actions at his position indicate he’s not exactly a significant part of the organization’s plans, either.
After giving Jaylen Warren a two-year, $11.9 million contract extension in August, the Steelers signed fellow veteran running back Rico Dowdle to a two-year, $12.25 million contract last month in free agency.
During the annual AFC coaches breakfast Tuesday at the Arizona Biltmore resort, McCarthy gushed about having a Warren/Dowdle tandem at running back.
“I love the fact that their play styles emulate each other,” McCarthy said, “so that’s what I was real excited about with getting to work with Rico.
“A big thing that I think is very important for a running back, the first question I always ask in the evaluation process, ‘Can he play all three downs?’ Because we all want four-down players.
“These guys both can play all three downs, and that’s important.”
Dowdle, who played four seasons for McCarthy with the Dallas Cowboys, is listed a 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds. Warren, who joined the Steelers as an undrafted player in 2021 and has stuck since, is 5-8, 215.
Each is 27 years old. Dowdle has 2,540 career rushing yards and 16 touchdowns; Warren has 2,632 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. Each has had pro stints as a featured back as well as time spent in a subpackage role.
McCarthy takes comfort in knowing either back can fit in to any game situation or assume any role.
“Having backs that don’t have to come out of the game on third down, that’s something that I put a lot of value in,” McCarthy said. “And I feel that we’ve got two guys we can just go play tomorrow with. I’m excited about those guys.”
McCarthy’s comments were far less excitable when asked about Johnson, the Steelers’ third-round pick last season after a stellar final college season at Iowa. Johnson broke camp as a distant No. 3 option at his position behind Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. But a high-profile gaffe during the second game of the season — allowing a kickoff to roll into the end zone, resulting in a Seattle Seahawks touchdown — stripped Johnson of a return-man role and contributed to him being a healthy scratch for several games.
Johnson ended up dressing for only 10 games in 2025, getting just 28 carries for 69 yards. By the end of the season and into the playoffs, the Steelers felt better using tight end Jonnu Smith as their No. 3 RB.
“I understand what happened with him on special teams,” McCarthy said. “I’ve heard all that, but he’s a young man that obviously, his draft value (the Steelers’ second selection just 11 months ago) says what they think of him.
“I can’t really answer that until I get my hands on him, but I’m going to challenge him to be a three-down player, challenge him to be special-teams player. All those things are part of being a young running back in this league. Especially with the two guys in front of him.”