Locals in the NFL: ‘He’s hot’, Jaylen Warren earns featured role in Steelers offense
Oct 14, 2026, 1:25 PM
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 11: Jaylen Warren #30 of the Pittsburgh Steelers rushes for a 50 yard touchdown during the third quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Acrisure Stadium on October 11, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH – Jaylen Warren’s role in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense is no longer in question.
The former East High standout has become one of the NFL’s most productive dual-purpose running backs during a three-game surge, giving Pittsburgh a reliable centerpiece heading into Sunday’s matchup against Tampa Bay.
Warren has totaled 176, 126, and 188 yards from scrimmage in his past three games, joining Kenneth Walker (Kansas City), Derrick Henry (Baltimore), and Bijan Robinson (Atlanta) as the most recent players to reach those marks.
Locals in the NFL: Patriots could turn to rookie Caleb Lomu at left tackle against Jets
#Steelers HC Mike McCarthy on RB Jaylen Warren and what things will look like once Rico Dowdle returns:
“Jaylen is our featured player right now. Let’s make sure we all recognize that. He’s hot. … It’s important for us as an offense, coaches and players alike, to continue to put him in position to make plays. That won’t change.”
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 12, 2026
Steelers coach Mike McCarthy made it clear this week that Warren has earned more than a hot-hand label.
“Jaylen is our featured player right now. Let’s make sure we all recognize that. He’s hot,” McCarthy said. “He’s playing great football for us. So it’s important for us as an offense, coaches and players alike, to continue to put him in position to make plays. That won’t change.”
Warren entered Week 5 without a touchdown this season, but that changed quickly.
Early in the first quarter, he caught a pass in the flat, turned upfield, bounced through a tackle and raced 80 yards for a touchdown. It was just the third receiving touchdown of his five-year NFL career and one of the most explosive plays of his time with Pittsburgh.
Jaylen Warren with the 80-yard touchdown!
@INDvsPIT on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/Q49IxXTuCP— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2026
Later, Warren showed another part of his game. Taking a handoff from former NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, he found a crease on the right side of the offensive line, broke three tackles, and pulled away for a 50-yard rushing touchdown.
He finished with 101 yards on 15 carries and added six catches for a career-best 87 receiving yards. It was his sixth 100-yard rushing game.
50-yard touchdown for Jaylen Warren!
@INDvsPIT on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/lpcgt5SUu0— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2026
Through five weeks, Warren has 410 rushing yards, tied for sixth in the league. His 640 yards from scrimmage trail only Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson and Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs.
For a player who entered the league as an undrafted free agent, the production continues a steady climb.
RELATED STORIES
About Jaylen Warren
Before college, Warren was a standout for the East High Leopards.
He later played for Snow College and Utah State. During two seasons with the Aggies, Warren carried 151 times for 821 yards and eight touchdowns.
After the 2020 season, he transferred to Oklahoma State. In his lone season with the Cowboys, Warren rushed for 1,216 yards and 11 touchdowns on 256 carries, helping Oklahoma State reach the Big 12 championship game.
He capped his college career with 19 carries for 82 yards in the Cowboys’ Fiesta Bowl win over No. 5 Notre Dame.
Jaylen Warren spoke to the media after our win. @Acrisure https://t.co/NxY0KiCZLa
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 11, 2026
Warren signed with Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL draft. As a rookie, he rushed for 379 yards and a touchdown and caught 28 passes for 214 yards.
His workload grew in 2023, when he carried 149 times for 784 yards and four touchdowns. He followed that with 511 rushing yards and 310 receiving yards in 2024 before taking over as Pittsburgh’s starter in 2025.
Now, Warren is turning that opportunity into one of the best stretches of his career.
Four games will not settle where he belongs among the NFL’s top all-purpose backs, but Warren has given the Steelers steady production as both a runner and receiver. Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay gives him another chance to show that Pittsburgh’s offense can keep running through him.
About Locals in the NFL
For over five years, KSL Sports has covered NFL players with ties to the state of Utah.
Whether they attended Utah or BYU or grew up in the Beehive State, we keep you up to date on how the locals are performing on the biggest stage.
From highlights to trades and other breaking news, check out our Locals In The NFL coverage here.
Take us with you, wherever you go.
Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in the NFL, Locals in MLB, and the Utah State Aggies. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
Parts of this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team.
