Mike McCarthy’s ‘Catholic operation’ will resurrect Kaleb Johnson’s career after rookie mistakes

Kaleb Johnson’s rookie year did not quite go as many expected, as the former third-round pick was not utilized in the offense very often. However, it appears his career may be resurrected thanks to Mike McCarthy stepping in as head coach. His latest comments about Johnson seem to indicate that Johnson could be more involved next season.

McCarthy, who is 62 years old, claimed that Kaleb Johnson will have a clean slate for his second season in the NFL, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. It appears McCarthy wants to see what the 22-year-old running back can bring to the table for the Steelers.

“This is like a Catholic operation,” said McCarthy. “You say three Hail Marys, the priest blessed you, and everybody’s got a clean slate.”

Johnson was hyped up as a potential new weapon for Pittsburgh after being picked by the franchise 83rd overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Instead, he fell out of favor in the pecking order in the backfield, appearing in just 10 games with zero starts. Kaleb Johnson ended the 2025-26 campaign with just 69 rushing yards off 28 attempts.

Although Mike McCarthy is giving Johnson a clean slate moving forward, the running back room is a little bit more crowded than it was last season. The Steelers signed Rico Dowdle to a two-year, $12.25 million contract. Dowdle is coming off a career year with the Carolina Panthers, where he recorded 1,076 yards and six touchdowns (career-high). He’s had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

Additionally, starter Jaylen Warren is returning to Pittsburgh after signing a two-year, $17.5 million extension during the 2025-26 campaign. Warren is also coming off a career year, as he finished last season with 958 rushing yards, 333 receiving yards, and eight total touchdowns. All of which are career highs. Expectations for Johnson may need to be tempered.

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