DETROIT — There was a school of thought in April after the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Kaleb Johnson with a third-round pick that Johnson would be the featured back by the end of the regular season.
Well, now that the regular season is two weeks from ending, Johnson not only is not the Steelers’ No. 1 running back, he’s not their No. 2 or No. 3, either. In fact, he’s not even in uniform.
Johnson was a healthy inactive for Sunday’s game at the Detroit Lions. This is the first time as a pro that Johnson was scratched for a game, although in three prior games this season he did not get in for even one snap.
The 6-foot-1, 224-pound Johnson had 1,537 rushing yards and 23 total touchdowns last season for Iowa. He began the regular season as the Steelers’ kickoff return man but a flubbed play that led to a Seattle Seahawks touchdown in Week 2 removed him from that gig. On offense, he has been by far the No. 3 option at running back behind the tandem of Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell.
The decision to sit Johnson could in part relate to Connor Heyward’s recent success carrying the ball in the Steelers’ version of the “tush push.” Heyward was a running back in college but listed as a tight end on the Steelers’ roster. He’s mostly played special teams, though, and his role as fullback has rarely been utilized in 2025.
Wilson scratched again
The scratching of Johnson means the Steelers’ past two third-round picks — both skill-position offensive players — are unable to “get a helmet” on game days. Receiver Roman Wilson in Detroit was a Sunday inactive for the third consecutive week.
Wilson has not played since the Steelers acquired veteran Adam Thielen and began making fellow veteran receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling active for games.
The Steelers’ only other healthy scratch Sunday was defensive lineman Logan Lee, who has appeared in only five games this season.
Rookie Will Howard against the Lions maintained his role as the No. 3 “emergency” quarterback.
Injured players out
It had been announced by the Steelers that starting outside linebacker T.J. Watt (partially collapsed lung), left guard Isaac Seumalo (triceps), fill-in starting cornerback James Pierre (calf) and fill-in starting outside linebacker Nick Herbig (hamstring) would not play against the Lions.
Watt and Pierre each missed a second consecutive game, and Seumalo and Herbig were injured during Monday’s win against the Miami Dolphins.
Watt was not expected to be in Detroit for the game.
Spencer Anderson played as the left guard for most of Sunday’s game, with veteran Andrus Peat — back after a one-game absence (concussion) — playing the position when Anderson moves to his “jumbo” tight end role. Dylan Cook made his second consecutive start at left tackle, two weeks after making his NFL regular-season debut.
At outsaide linebacker with no Watt or Herbig, rookie Jack Sawyer made his first NFL start
Lions inactives
The Lions went into Sunday’s game without safety Jalen Mills, receiver Dominic Lovett, defensive linemen Tyler Lacy and Mekhi Wingo and offensive linemen Trystan Colon (wrist), Graham Glasgow (knee) and Kayode Awosika.
Reigning All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph was placed on injured reserve Saturday.
