The idea that Kaleb Johnson could be among the Pittsburgh Steelers players cut when the 53-man roster is due Sunday would have sounded implausible to anyone who watched him at Iowa.
In 2024, Johnson rushed for 1,537 yards and a school-record 21 touchdowns, added two more scores as a receiver, earned consensus All-American honors, and was named Big Ten Running Back of the Year.
He finished his Hawkeye career with 2,779 rushing yards and 30 rushing touchdowns, numbers that placed him among the program’s all-time leaders and made him a third-round pick, 83rd overall, in the 2025 draft.
That kind of production at a program known for developing physical, between-the-tackles runners does not usually lead to a second-year roster fight.
Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reported Thursday that moving on from Johnson after just one season would be a tough look for the organization, yet the possibility is looking increasingly likely.
Johnson managed only two carries for three yards in the first preseason game and followed that with 10 attempts for 39 yards in the second. DeFabo noted that of all the players on the roster, Johnson may be the one who most needs an explosive performance in Thursday night’s preseason finale at Buffalo simply to keep his spot.
The Steelers already have a proven one-two punch in Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, and they could elect to keep a special-teams veteran such as Travis Homer as the third back rather than a young runner who has yet to separate himself.
Johnson’s 2025 rookie year offered little of the burst or vision that defined his junior season in Iowa City. Limited opportunities and modest efficiency left him buried on the depth chart heading into this camp.
The contrast with his college tape is stark.
At Iowa, he routinely turned zone-scheme runs into chunk gains, scored in every game of his final season, and set single-season school records for total touchdowns and points. Those traits made him a natural schematic fit when Pittsburgh selected him.
One year later, the same traits have not translated into consistent preseason production, leaving the former Hawkeye in a precarious position as final cuts approach.
Whether Johnson survives the weekend or lands on the practice squad, the episode underscores how quickly NFL evaluations can shift.
A player who once looked like a potential workhorse for a run-heavy Steelers offense now finds himself needing one last impressive night simply to stay in the conversation.
For Iowa fans who watched him rewrite the record book, that reality remains the most surprising part of the story.
