Steelers inside the ropes: Mike Tomlin relishes annual initial backs-on-‘backers drill

It’s the most anticipated drill during what is arguably the most anticipated practice of each year’s Pittsburgh Steelers training camp: backs-on-‘backers.

As is custom, coach Mike Tomlin on Wednesday took a central position to both view and orchestrate the matchups in the drill that pits running backs one-on-one in passblocking against an oncoming inside linebacker as well as tight ends working to hold off outside linebackers intent on getting past them from the edge.

Run in the far right corner of the right end zone as viewed from the bleachers at Chuck Noll Field, assistant coaches and teammates from all the affected position groups gather to encourage and cheer.

The cleanest single “win” of the day? Mark Robinson completely running over running back Evan Hull. The biggest aggregate “win” went to linebacker Malik Harrison, who “swept” three consecutive reps from rookie running back Kaleb Johnson. After losing the first two, Johnson asked for and was granted the third rep — but it might have been the best example yet of the veteran Harrison schooling him.

• Incumbent third-down back Jaylen Warren lost two reps in a row to fringe roster linebacker Devin Harper. On each, Warren took an aggressive, deliver-a-blow approach, but Harper kept on churning. Tomlin — perhaps wise to the multiple fines Warren has gotten for blocking by leading with his head — reminded: “See what you hit, Jaylen!”
• Tomlin was smiling throughout much of the drill as he watched, but he seemed to take particular joy in a duel of linebacker Payton Wilson and veteran running back Kenneth Gainwell. “I like this matchup,” Tomlin said as they lined up. And after Wilson so thoroughly ran over Gainwell — considered one of the NFL’s best third-down backs — that he stepped over him while Gainwell was sprawled out on the ground, Tomlin give an approving audible, “Uh huh!” Outside linebackers coach Denzel Martin and inside linebackers coach Scott McCully each enthusiastically congratulated Wilson.
• A rematch went slightly better for Gainwell, who maybe did just enough to stave off Wilson from the imaginary quarterback. “Get him, Kenny!” Tomlin yelled.
• Rookie outside linebacker Jack Sawyer had little trouble in a rep in which he bulldozed undrafted rookie tight end JJ Galbreath.
• A fun matchup to watch in regards to size and pure athleticism was massive tight end Darnell Washington against converted defensive tackle DeMarvin Leal. The two got a little chippy with each other at the end of the rep.
• Always shortchanged on the day of the first fully-padded practice of camp, a drill that goes on simultaneously draws strong reactions from the assembled fans because it is staged in the middle of the field in front of the bleachers: one-on-one receivers-vs.-cornerbacks. The first rep Wednesday was the headliner: DK Metcalf against Jalen Ramsey. That Aaron Rodgers’ pass zoomed over the head of both suggested that Ramsey won the matchup.
• Because the pads were on for the first time during this camp, running plays were permitted during the “Seven shots” 2-point conversion simulation for the first time in 2025. Warren motioned from outside the numbers into the backfield on the first snap, took a handoff from Rodgers and burrowed his way up the middle to just past the goal line. Later on, though, Johnson could not make it to turn the corner on a toss play to the right, and on the next snap Hull was similarly smothered on a running play in which he had nowhere to go.
• The offense won four of the seven snaps overall, though, in large part because Rodgers connected on passes to tight end Jonnu Smith and to Metcalf. On both plays, a blitzing defense created pressure that Rodgers was able to elude. Metcalf’s catch was on a high ball he went up to get over the shorter Darius Slay. Metcalf toe-tapped in the back left corner of the end zone. Another “touchdown” was from Mason Rudolph on a quick inside slant to Brandon Johnson. A blitzing DeShonn Elliott batted down a Rodgers pass for a defensive win.
• Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. had multiple tackles — some in the open field — during an 11-on-11 run-game period in which the defense dominated.
• Outside linebacker Nick Herbig likewise excelled in the run periods, beating the tackle opposite him to make plays in the backfield. At one point after he tackled Johnson for a loss, Rodgers approached Herbig, helmet-to-helmet, to offer apparent praise punctuated by a congratulatory tap to the helmet.
• Robinson, as usual, also was stellar during run plays.
• Pass catchers had several drops Wednesday, punctuated by at least two from Smith.