Rodgers Calls for Steelers to Make Jaylen Warren a Bigger Part of Their Offense
The Pittsburgh Steelers clearly have a lot of faith in running back Jaylen Warren. That was shown after the 2024 season ended when the Steelers made no effort to bring back Najee Harris. Instead, they doubled down on Warren as their future, rewarding him with a two-year extension before the 2025 season began. In Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh fell 31-17, but Warren once again showed why the team believes in him. While he managed just 48 rushing yards on 14 carries, his ability to make plays in the passing game stood out as one of the few positives in an otherwise disappointing afternoon.
Warren’s performance as a receiver turned heads, not just among fans, but inside the locker room as well. He caught four passes for 86 yards, including a few explosive plays that kept the Steelers’ offense alive. The versatility Warren brings to the table continues to separate him from other backs. His value in the passing game gives Aaron Rodgers a reliable option who can turn a short reception into a momentum-shifting gain.
Rodgers himself took notice, and after the game, he spoke with The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo, sending a clear message to Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith. Rodgers emphasized that Warren deserves more opportunities in the passing game, signaling that he sees the former undrafted back as a key piece of the offense.
"Jaylen is a great player," Rodgers said while speaking to The Athletic after the 31-17 loss. "That was an awesome catch and run. He brings a lot to the table. We might have to keep giving him more opportunities in the pass game, because every time he touches it, something good happens."
For a Steelers team that has struggled to find consistency through two weeks, leaning on Warren’s receiving ability could be exactly the spark they need.
With Rodgers pushing for his playmaker to see more targets, Steelers fans can expect Warren’s role to continue growing as the season moves forward.
Warren’s 65-yard reception set the Steelers up perfectly in the red zone with just under six minutes remaining in the third quarter. Pittsburgh appeared poised to score and take the lead with the game tied at 14. If the team had not turned the ball over, that pass and catch from Warren would likely have been remembered by Steelers fans as one of the key plays that could have decided the outcome.
Steelers Looking To Get Jaylen Warren More Receptions
It’s an exciting thought for Steelers fans to hear Rodgers talking about getting Warren more involved in the passing attack. He had four catches in the Week 2 contest, and his impact as a receiver out of the backfield is clearly important. If the Steelers can take care of the football and find more ways to get Warren open for both catches and runs through Smith’s play-calling, they could start building some positive momentum for the 2025 season.
Rodgers is clearly hopeful that Smith will find ways to give Warren more opportunities to showcase his skill set. On the other hand, Rodgers is a four-time league MVP and a veteran who has seen it all. He knows how to create chances for Warren and get him more targets in the passing game. Expect the Steelers to involve Warren in the offense with more receptions as the season progresse
Pete Carroll Sends Strong Message on QB Geno Smith After 3-Interception Game
The Chargers defense flummoxed Geno Smith all night Monday.
Geno Smith’s gunslinging was on full display Monday night, which prompted his longtime head coach Pete Carroll to speak out about his quarterback’s inability to protect the ball.
Carroll criticized Smith’s ball-protection skills after the Las Vegas Raiders QB did not lead a touchdown drive and threw three interceptions in their 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night.
Smith was 24 for 43 (55.8 percent) for 180 yards, no touchdowns and the three picks in the Raiders’ home opener. He now leads the NFL in interceptions (4) and is tied for 22nd in completion percentage (62.3) through two weeks.
What Did Pete Carroll Say About Geno Smith’s Three-Interception Game?
Carroll has been steadfast in his love and loyalty toward Smith. But even he couldn’t defend the way his QB played.
According to Pro-Football Reference, Smith made nine bad throws on his 43 attempts Monday, a stat made worse by the fact he was only pressured just six times — fewer than the eight pressures the New England Patriots registered against him in the Raiders’ surprising Week 1 win.
“We always talk that way of taking what the defense gives you,” Carroll said Wednesday about Smith’s attempt to fit the ball into tight windows. “It’s when things get off rhythm sometimes, that’s when the quarterback needs to decide and always protect the football first.
“We need to do a better job in that, and Geno knows that and I know that. We didn’t get that done.”
It was Smith’s fifth-career three-INT game but just his second in the past 10 years — he also threw three picks against the Los Angeles Rams last year. Smith also said the film was “tough to watch” but saw ways he could improve from his mistakes
“[There were] a lot of things I wish I would have done better personally,” Smith said. “You can never just flush that, you’ve got to learn from it. I watched it over 10 times and just tried to figure out things I need to be better, which was a lot of things that were obvious: Being more accurate, taking what the defense gave me, not being so aggressive.”
What Did Geno Smith Say About Being Aggressive?
That Smith made that many bad throws Monday night was newsworthy, since his 12.4 percent career bad-throw shows he has been one of the best at limiting unforced errors over his career. He’s done that by taking an honest appraisal of his efforts.
“Being hard on yourself and understanding that’s not the standard, and it’s never going to be the standard,” Smith said of how he’s been great at not letting bad games snowball. “Really having to be honest with myself and not letting that carry over.”
So after making just three bad throws, and capitalizing on chunk play after chunk play in the Raiders’ 20-13 win in New England, Smith may have been feeling himself a bit too much. The Chargers brought him back to earth.
“I think we might’ve overdid it a little bit. We had a lot of explosives in Week 1, and obviously we wanted to carry that over,” Smith said. “Being efficient is the No. 1 thing, and I thought the efficiency wasn’t there, and that would have led to more explosives if we were more efficient.
“Take what they give me. It’s that simple.”
The Raiders will be on the road against the Washington Commanders, who just allowed 404 yards to the Green Bay Packers in their Week 2 loss at Lambeau Field.
But despite the shorter week after the late kickoff Monday, Smith said he is chomping at the bit to get on the field against Washington.
“I think the shorter week actually helps you,” Smith said. “The faster we can get to the game, the faster we can get that bad taste out your mouth.”
