Steelers’ Benny Snell was ready to prosper during 1st meaningful action of season

Chris Adamski
Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022 4:44 p.m. | Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022 4:44 p.m.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Benny Snell celebrates a touchdown during Monday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.

It’d been 323 days since Benny Snell had last carried the ball in a meaningful game — and almost 100 weeks since he’d had a workload like he did Monday night in Indianapolis.

So did Snell’s production during a 24-17 win against the Colts show how well he had stayed engaged?

“I feel like it just explains itself,” Snell said Wednesday, two days after rushing for 62 yards on 12 carries. “I am locked in and ready. It shows how ready I was.”

Benny Snell on his 2022 breakthrough game Monday pic.twitter.com/604AfN2N4b

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) November 30, 2022

Snell had not even appeared on the field on offense through nine games this season until playing three snaps in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 20. His most recent carry was last season’s Jan. 8 regular-season finale at the Baltimore Ravens. His most recent start was Dec. 21, 2020, when he had 18 carries in a loss to the Bengals.

Snell was leapfrogged on the Steelers’ running backs depth chart during training camp by undrafted rookie Jaylen Warren.

But with injuries to Najee Harris and Warren on Monday, Snell zoomed from special teams-only duty to the top of the running backs depth chart for the second half against the Colts. He responded with the winning touchdown.

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A former fourth-round pick and two-time all-SEC honoree who had more than 4,000 college yards from scrimmage and five NFL starts, did Snell have to fend off feelings that he would never get another chance to be a featured back at the pro level?

“It’s not a feeling that I am fighting but like I said, everything speaks for itself,” Snell said. “I am well-prepared whenever the chance comes. So I just feel like whenever I get to show it, that’s when it will all come to light.”

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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.