Kaleb Johnson stopped to ponder the question. A star running back in college who was a relatively early draft pick for which great things were foreseen in his rookie season, Johnson dealt with the indignity of being designated a healthy inactive for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ final three regular-season games.
Has that hurt? Has that made him angry?
“Umm,” Johnson said from UPMC Rooney Sports Complex locker room after a recent practice. “From going from a lot of volume of carriers to none … it’s … different.
“I feel like it’s more of a mental game for me right now. So I just treat it as such. My time will come, and I’m going to shine when my time comes.”
The Steelers’ second of seven draft selections in April, Johnson managed only 28 carries for 69 yards and one catch for 9 yards this season. His 2.5 yards per carry would have by far ranked as the worst in the NFL this season … if he had anywhere near enough carries to qualify.
That possibility for Johnson went away in earnest after he flubbed a kickoff return in a Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Apparently unaware of the rules, Johnson let a ball roll into the end zone where it was recovered by Seattle’s George Holani for a touchdown.
Johnson lost the kick-return gig, and he did not play in the Steelers’ next game. He also did not see the field in three other midseason games. Then, in December, the Steelers didn’t even deem Johnson worthy of being in uniform for the meaningful games down the stretch.
“I was always used to being ‘the guy,’ and I was always used to making plays,” Johnson said. “So now it’s like I’m just sitting there and it’s like, ‘I can make plays, too.’ But it’s a waiting game as a rookie, so that’s all I repeat in my head.”
There is no guarantee — and it is probably unlikely — that Johnson will be in uniform for the Steelers’ playoff opener Monday night against the Houston Texans.
Such a scenario wasn’t expected when Johnson was taken 83rd overall this past spring after winning the Big Ten’s running back of the year award the previous season. It was thought Johnson would be the Steelers’ RB1 by this point of the season.
Instead, Johnson is buried behind starter Jaylen Warren, team MVP Kenneth Gainwell — and even the player who has surpassed him as the third running back, tight end Jonnu Smith.
“I’m just taking everything day by day,” Johnson said. “I’m getting ready to play, because anything can happen. So I’m just waiting on my opportunity, and I’m going to make the most of my opportunity when it comes. So it’s really just me learning from (teammates and coaches) and being a sponge right now, just being a rookie.”
To that end, Johnson said he’s grateful he has a pair of affable, experienced mentors in Gainwell and Warren as well as a respected position coach in Eddie Faulkner.
Johnson said they have been teaching him “ins and outs of football” in regard to reading defenses and techniques for running with the ball.
“I definitely see him growing,” Gainwell said. “Obviously, he hasn’t been ‘in a helmet’ in the last (three) weeks. But I see him growing mentally and materially. And I think he’s gonna bounce back from the things that happened to him. And I think he’s gonna really be special.”
Johnson doesn’t disagree in that assessment. After all, he was a college star in a major conference, the sixth running back taken in what was widely regarded as an inordinately deep draft class at the position. Even against professional players, during spring workouts and at training camp, Johnson’s burst turned heads. During the preseason, Johnson had 24 carries for 94 yards and caught four passes for 46 yards.
Johnson hasn’t wavered in the faith he has in himself that he is destined for a long and productive NFL career.
“I really do believe that,” Johnson said. “Me having this going on this season, (in respect to a) career overall, it’s just a bump in the road, you know? You gotta get over it.”
