Jaylen Warren had modest numbers in his NFL regular season debut. But in the eyes of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh's rookie running back cleared a significant hurdle.
Tomlin was asked on Tuesday if Warren has showed enough to earn a bigger role in the offense, especially if Najee Harris' role is limited for this Sunday's game against the Patriots after he suffered a foot injury in last Sunday's win over the Bengals.
"You know, he didn't urinate down his leg," Tomlin said of Warren while cracking a smile. "That's a great place to begin. And that's capable of happening for a young guy. But I think that's been indicative of him throughout this process. And that's why he's gone from being an undrafted guy to a guy that's carving a roll out for himself because it at no step in team development did he show that circumstances were too big for him.
"He was competitive, and he's been competitive. And he was on Sunday, and so good for him and good for us."
Warren had three carries for seven yards in Pittsburgh's overtime win in Cincinnati. He played in 37% of Pittsburgh's offensive snaps and 34% of the team's special teams snaps. Warren also showcased his strength as a blocker in passing situations, something that can sometimes be an issue for rookie running backs.
Warren earned a spot on the Steelers' 53-man roster following an impressive training camp and preseason. He went undrafted this past April despite a standout 2021 season at Oklahoma State. Warren, who started his college career at Utah State before joining the Cowboys, rushed for 1,216 yards and 11 touchdowns last fall. He also caught 25 passes while helping Oklahoma State finish with a 12-2 record.
The 5-foot-8, 215-pound Warren may be asked to contribute more to the Steelers' offense on Sunday regardless of Harris' status. Tomlin labeled Harris as day-to-day on Tuesday after the Steelers' running back told Adam Schein that he plans to face the Patriots.
"It's good to be young," Tomlin said of Harris' optimism. "He appears to be positioned [to play], but he's gonna have to practice and prove his readiness. That's just my perspective. He's a talented guy, but he's a young guy. And so I'm going to see some work from him. We'll take him day by day and see where that leads us in terms of his participation and the quality of that
