Steelers' Rookie Kaleb Johnson Faces Backlash Over Game-Changing Fumble, Darius Slay Comes to His Defense
The Pittsburgh Steelers have conceded 30+ points in each of their first two games of the 2025 season, but the loss to the Seattle Seahawks wasn’t solely on the defense.
The Steelers’ defense has come under scrutiny from analysts across the league, more so when their offensive failures began to take center stage.
Arthur Smith‘s offense struggled to get any run game going, placing a lot of the burden on the shoulders of Aaron Rodgers when looking to utilize the play-action pass.
The Seattle Seahawks utilized their run game through Kenneth Walker III much more efficiently, with the Steelers carved apart at times, including on a crucial 19-yard touchdown to ice the game.
One of the more pivotal moments of the loss was rookie running back Kaleb Johnson’s crucial mistake on kickoff return, part of a 17-point swing in favor of the Seahawks. Darius Slay revealed what he said to the rookie after the error.
Darius Slay told Pittsburgh Steelers’ Kaleb Johnson to ‘not let that play define’ him
After a massive offseason of investment from the Pittsburgh Steelers, including the addition of Darius Slay, they were not expected to concede 63 points in two games.
Kaleb Johnson’s crucial fumble on the kickoff return made a 10-point swing into a 17-point swing almost instantaneously. Darius Slay only had words of encouragement for the youngster, as he explained:
Speaking on the Richard Sherman podcast, Slay said, “That’s a young kid. You know, of course, we’re going to hold him accountable. You know what I’m saying?
“But, hey, we all make mistakes. We’ve never been perfect. None of us has been. I made plenty of mistakes as a rookie when I was young. He made one.
“I talked to him, because he’s my little young guy. Don’t let that play define who you are. You know what I’m saying? Because of a play like that, in this type of city, definitely with this type of environment.
“This type of standard this team has, this organization has, that can ruin a kid’s career. You know, just because they can always remember to play it back.
“‘You’re a young kid, very talented. So hopefully he put that behind him. And I told him that. The team told him, ‘Talk less.’ Don’t talk about it anymore. Don’t even bring it up anymore.
“They ask about it, just, hey, I’m on to bigger and better things, man. I’m going to try to do better, you know, be ready, prepared for my teammates.
“So he’s doing good. But I told him, man, keep your head on your shoulders because it’s tough. That was tough to see, tough to be a part of.”
What’s next for Kaleb Johnson at the Pittsburgh Steelers after that fumble
A mistake like the one Kaleb Johnson made can have strong consequences in the NFL, depending on the head coach, regardless of his being a rookie.
Luckily for Johnson, he is playing under the longest-serving head coach in the league, Mike Tomlin, and he is not known for being unforgiving.
Tomlin is not like the great
Unfortunately for Johnson (the rookie), he is playing in an offense that has a total of 125 rushing yards over two games. He has accounted for -1 of those yards.
The Steelers have a lot more problems than initially anticipated entering the season, and developing a rookie running back is not their number one priority.
Steelers Rookie Jack Sawyer Sends Sam Darnold to the Turf, Claims Hit of the Week
Steel City Underground hand selects the ‘Steelers Hit of the Week’, a bigtime play that shook the opponents, following every game of the 2025 NFL regular season for fans to relive.
The Pittsburgh Steelers had their hands full with the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 of the 2025 NFL regular season at Acrisure Stadium. While the run defense, and interior, was exposed, two linebackers had big hits – and they weren’t named T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, or Patrick Queen.
While both Jack Sawyer and Payton Wilson are deserving of the ‘Steelers Hit of the Week’ against the Seahawks – both earning sacks – we opted to give the honors to the rookie this week.
Sawyer helped boost the interior of the defense as Highsmith (left the game), Queen (injured ribs, played hurt), Isaiahh Loudermilk (left the game), Wilson (vomiting, but returned) became casualties of heat, a pounding Seahawks run game, and passes over the middle.
Late in the game, on 2nd & Goal at the Pittsburgh 10, Sawyer was able to get through the gap and put Sam Darnold onto the turf for a loss of nine yards. Sawyer beat Watt, who had no sacks in the game, to the Seattle quarterback.
It was Sawyer’s career-first sack in the NFL and gives fans an idea of what the former Ohio State Buckeye might provide from the inside linebacker position this season. Sawyer’s stats included the sack as well as 6 tackles (4 solo) and 2 tackles for a loss.
We don’t want to discount Wilson’s sack; it was also his career first. His hit came during the second quarter, when the game was still in contention, and helped the Steelers defense force a Seahawks punt. Wilson dropped Darnold for an eight-yard loss.
Wilson put together a pretty strong game. He logged the highest tackle total among all Steelers defenders with 10 (8 solo). He played sideline to sideline to help stop the run and cover crossing routes. He recorded one tackle for a loss. All of that while being overcome by the heat for a time.
The Steelers will need more big plays from both Sawyer and Wilson as they tweak their defense to account for injuries in preparation for the New England Patriots in Week 3.
