Steelers Running Back Battle is Taking a Curious Turn at OTAs

With Kenneth Gainwell going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, the Pittsburgh Steelers brought in Rico Dowdle to pair with Jaylen Warren for the upcoming season.

New Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy has familiarity with Dowdle, who was his running back with the Dallas Cowboys.

Jaylen Warren was the Steelers leading rusher in 2025, running for 958 yards and six touchdowns on 211 carries. Dowdle rushed 236 times for 1,076 and six touchdowns with the Carolina Panthers last season.

Entering OTAs, it was unclear who would be the RB1 on the depth chart. It's a battle that the Steelers coaching staff isn't too worried about this offseason, believing Warren and Dowdle will share responsibilities equally, though the load could look different week to week.

"Per game it will define itself, what scheme we're going to highlight, what scheme we're going to basically star in that game, or things of that nature," Pittsburgh running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung Sr. said, via the Steelers.

"But when it comes to Jaylen and Rico, Coach (head coach Mike McCarthy) will define that. He wants two fresh backs at all times. We'll find ways to make sure make that we get them on the field and they have ample amount of equal time on the field, but it'll define itself by scheme, by gameplan." 

The Steelers have invested heavily in the passing game this offseason, trading for Michael Pittman Jr. and trading up in the draft to land Germie Bernard. They also brought back four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. 

Even with the robust potential the offense has through the air, McCarthy wants the offense's identity to shine through the running game.

"It comes down to the intentionality that Coach McCarthy has in regard to just delivering the overall identity of the offense, of the run game, how we're gonna utilize those guys," Chinyoung said. "One of his big things that he likes to hit is 55 completions and touches (as an offense).

"The run game is going to be a valuable piece of that."

The Steelers rushed for 1,756 yards last season, ranking 26th in the league.

With two strong running backs on the roster, Pittsburgh should be closer to 2,000 yards rushing this fall, which would take enormous pressure off Rodgers.