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By Ellis Williams
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The Pittsburgh Steelers have a four-time MVP at quarterback. Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez wants more attention paid to the running back beside him.
Gonzalez picked Pittsburgh to beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday while discussing the matchup on Prime Video's "Thursday Night Football" coverage. His case went beyond quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a defense he praised for its work against the run. He pointed to running back Jaylen Warren and the way he attacks defenses downhill.
“Jaylen Warren is a bad boy. He's getting downhill,” Gonzalez said on Prime. “I think he's probably the most underrated football player in the whole NFL.”
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The Steelers are 6-2 and have won four straight entering their trip to Cincinnati. Warren has given them an offense that can lean on the ground game, even with Rodgers taking the snaps.
Through eight games, Warren has 704 rushing yards on 119 carries, an average of 5.9 yards per attempt. He also has 25 catches for 294 yards, putting him two yards short of 1,000 from scrimmage with nine games left on Pittsburgh's schedule.
His production has come in several forms. Warren ran for 127 yards and added 49 receiving yards when Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati 30-27 in September. Against the Indianapolis Colts, he scored on a 50-yard run and an 80-yard reception in the same game.
He carried that success into Pittsburgh's bye week, rushing for 143 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries in a 27-6 victory over the Cleveland Browns. It was his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season.
Warren's Teammates See More Than Rushing Yards
Inside the Steelers' locker room, Warren's value also shows up when someone else has the ball.
Center Zach Frazier has praised his willingness to take on bigger defenders in pass protection. Head coach Mike McCarthy described a back who can handle inside and outside runs, catch passes and manage a demanding protection package.
Those responsibilities helped Pittsburgh when running back Rico Dowdle missed three games with a toe injury earlier this season. Warren took on the heavier workload rather than splitting it as planned.
Warren has credited his offensive line's preparation and growing chemistry for his success. Frazier, meanwhile, has said Warren can make linebackers miss even when the blocking doesn't account for them.
“He’s a hard tackle. He’s a great locker room guy. Very selfless,” linebacker T.J. Watt told Steelers.com. “But man, he loves football.”
At 28, Warren is approaching the best rushing season of his career. His previous high was 958 yards last year. He needs 255 more to top it, starting with Sunday's divisional rematch at Paycor Stadium.
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