Steelers' Kaleb Johnson Hopes for Second-Year Breakout Like James Conner

The Steelers are hoping running back Kaleb Johnson can make a similar leap in his second season as former Steeler James Conner did.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The Pittsburgh Steelers were disappointed in running back Kaleb Johnson's lack of production in his rookie season, but they are hoping he can follow a similar career path as former Steeler James Conner, who struggled early on before breaking out in his second year. The Steelers are counting on Johnson to prove he is in better shape, smarter, and ready to compete for a bigger role in the backfield, especially if Kenneth Gainwell leaves in free agency.

Why it matters

The Steelers' running game is a key part of their offensive attack, and they need Johnson to develop into a reliable option alongside Jaylen Warren. If Johnson can make the same kind of second-year leap that Conner did, it would give the Steelers' backfield a potent one-two punch and make their offense more dynamic.

The details

Johnson, a 2025 third-round pick, fell behind the curve as a rookie and never seemed to recover from a kickoff blunder in Week 2. Gainwell took advantage and solidified his role, leaving Johnson buried on the depth chart. However, the Steelers are hopeful Johnson can follow a similar career trajectory as Conner, who struggled as a rookie before breaking out for almost 1,500 scrimmage yards in his second season as the Steelers' lead back.

  • In his rookie season in 2025, Johnson struggled to make an impact.
  • In 2026, the Steelers are hoping Johnson can have a breakout second season like Conner did in 2018.

The players

Kaleb Johnson

A 2025 third-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers who struggled as a rookie but is hoping to make a big leap in his second season.

James Conner

A former Steelers running back who had a breakout second season in 2018 after a disappointing rookie year, going on to have a productive NFL career.

Kenneth Gainwell

A Steelers running back who took advantage of Johnson's struggles as a rookie and solidified his role in the backfield.

Jaylen Warren

The Steelers' lead running back who Johnson will be competing with for snaps and a bigger role in the offense.

Omar Khan

The Steelers' general manager who admitted he was disappointed in Johnson's lack of production as a rookie.

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What they’re saying

“Here, I think Khan is spitting facts, and they were surprised by the lack of explosion from [Kaleb] Johnson when he was out there. In his defense, I've seen running backs make huge strides physically from their rookie year to their second year. James Conner comes to mind.”

— Mark Kaboly (X)

What’s next

If Gainwell leaves in free agency, it would give Johnson a great chance to earn more snaps and prove himself in his second season. The Steelers could also use a Day 3 draft pick on another running back, creating competition for Johnson to earn a bigger role.

The takeaway

The Steelers are hoping Johnson can follow a similar career trajectory as former Steeler James Conner, who struggled as a rookie before breaking out in his second season. If Johnson can make that same leap, it would give the Steelers' backfield a potent one-two punch alongside Jaylen Warren and make their offense more dynamic.