Back to the Pittsburgh Steelers Newsfeed

Mike Tomlin Removing Kaleb Johnson From Kick Return Role

He was benched after the special teams gaffe Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, and now Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back Kaleb Johnson likely won’t have a part in kickoff returns moving forward, at least in the short term.

That’s how head coach Mike Tomlin described it Tuesday to reporters.

Johnson failed to catch a kickoff after the Seahawks took a 17-14 lead in the third quarter, leaving a live ball lying in the end zone. It led to a George Holani recovery and a 24-14 lead. On the ensuing kickoff Jaylen Warren replaced Johnson, who also had a fumble on a kickoff return in Week 1.