Kaleb Johnson played just one offensive series in the Steelers’ preseason game on NFL Plus, and the second-year running back finished the night rushing punts in the final minute. The Steelers opened the NFL preseason this week against the Green Bay Packers, and the early snapshot favored the quarterbacks more than the backfield.
Mason Rudolph and Will Howard
Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar all played exceptionally well, and Drew Allar threw some darts in Thursday’s game. That gives the Steelers something usable this early, because preseason action is where live reps separate clean operation from empty offseason talk.
Kaleb Johnson depth chart
Johnson entered Thursday buried on the depth chart after going from a third-round pick a year ago to a player who did not see the field until the second half. Travis Homer and Lew Nichols took the first-half snaps, while Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle did not dress.
The result is blunt. The quarterback room looked ready for more work, but the roster concern is Johnson’s role, because one offensive series is thin usage for a back trying to win trust in August.
Mike McCarthy and 2026 Steelers
The new coaching staff does not seem overly impressed with Johnson, and Mike Tomlin’s era was described as ending being the right time. For the 2026 Steelers, that shift puts evaluation ahead of reputation, which is why a short preseason night can carry more weight than a box score suggests.
Whether Johnson can climb out of that spot after barely playing Thursday is the question hanging over the backfield now.
