In some unshocking news to Hawkeye Football fans, former star running back Kaleb Johnson was doing Kaleb Johnson things on day one of the Pittsburgh Steelers' training camp.
Last season for Iowa, Johnson was a workhorse running back and was often the majority of the offense for the Hawkeyes. The struggles of the Iowa offense over the past few seasons are well-documented, and Johnson was the lone bright spot.
During the 2024-2025 season, KJ racked up 1,537 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. His 21 touchdowns set a new program record, passing Shonn Greene's record (20) in 2008.
After a dominating junior season, Johnson decided to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers took a chance on the Iowa star, selecting him with the No. 83 overall pick in the third round.
Johnson fits the mold of a Steelers player, and recieved high praise from head Coach Mike Tomlin following the NFL Draft.
Tomlin stated that Johnson is a "high-volume, capable runner, who made a lot of NFL Sunday-type runs," and he continued that praise after Johnson's first day of training camp
Coach Tomlin spoke to the media following the first #SteelersCamp practice.
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Tomlin was asked about his thoughts on KJ, and he stated that he came into camp highly conditioned and was really engaged on day one. He also stated that he has some talent, and everyone saw that.
Tomlin does not often throw out compliments for no reason, and this is an encouraging sign for the former Hawkeye.
On day one of training camp, the Steelers' squad was not in pads, and no one was tackling, but you could see Johnson's explosiveness when he hit the hole or bounced to the outside in drills.
Jaylen Warren took most of the starting reps, but Johnson was worked into the rotation and made the most of his opportunities.
If Johnson can continue improving and learns the system quickly, the Steelers could have a dynamic duo in the backfield next season.