FOXBOROUGH, Ma. — Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back Kaleb Johnson will play against the New England Patriots despite a kickoff gaffe that allowed the Seattle Seahawks a touchdown last week.
Coming off a successful 54-yard goal by Seahawks kicker Jason Myers that put the Seahawks ahead 17-14, Myers bounced the ball in the landing zone, and Johnson never touched it, but let it go into the end zone.
Thinking it would be a touchback, Johnson never thought anything of it, but instead, let the ball go. Seahawks running back George Holani went after the ball and recovered it for a touchdown to put the Seahawks up by 10.
Johnson was taken off kick returns on the next ensuing kickoff, with the top two running backs, Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell, taking the kickoff from there on out.
He will be active, but likely off kickoff returns. Head coach Mike Tomlin wanted to make it a point that the play can not define Johnson’s career.
“Absolutely it was, because we as a sports society, we like to brand people, like to put them in a box. That play can’t define his season, that play can’t define his career. And so I thoughtfully chose not to mention his name. It’s something that he’s going to have to move on from. That’s something that I have a desire for him to move on from. And, you know, bringing it up repeatedly and mentioning his name is not a component of moving on from it,” Tomlin said of Johnson.
The Steelers have Warren listed as the third string kickoff returner on their depth chart with Johnson and Gainwell as the starters, but that is likely to change moving forward. Johnson is still the third string running back.