Former Cowboy Jaylen Warren Has Stunning Debut in Pittsburgh

In the middle of the third quarter the Pittsburgh Steelers fans in Acrisure Stadium went nuts as hometown hero and rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett took the field for the first time. When the drive ended with Pickets completing a three-yard touchdown pass that former Oklahoma State running back Jaylen Warren used extra effort to get the touchdown then there was a battle for the ball. It was the first-round draft pick Pickett’s first touchdown pass and it was the undrafted free agent Warren’s first NFL touchdown. I’ll bet Warren gave in. He is that kind of guy.

What a night for the 5-8, 218-pound Warren! After that touchdown drive and a two-point conversion the Steelers led Seattle 25-17. Pittsburgh ended up winning 32-25 in dramatic fourth quarter fashion after a fumble recovery in the last minute and ahalf, Pickett threw his second touchdown pass of the game.

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Warren in his first NFL preseason game.

Warren, who came in with another former Cowboy in quarterback Mason Rudolph on the second drive of the game for Pittsburgh had six carries for 34-yards and a 5.7-yards per carry average. He also caught four passes for 30-yards. On that scoring drive with Pickett, Warren’s two carries and two receptions accounted for 24-yards of the 75 on the drive. Warren was also playing on special teams on kickoffs and kickoff returns. 

Warren’s night was over after that first scoring drive of the second half. That is also a sign that in the minds of head coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers coaching staff that they plan on keeping Warren. He has shown plenty in summer work, training camp, and now in the first preseason game.

“I liked the effort of those two guys,” Tomlin said of both Warren and the starting running back Anthony McFarland. “I didn’t like Jaylen putting the ball on the ground. I appreciate his tackle breaking and contact balance, but that expectation (no fumbles) in non negotiable. These are good days as long as we take care of the ball. Thankfully, we got it back. They are playmakers and then we put them in position to do that.”

I felt I was able to capitolize on it,” Warren said afterwards of the playing time. “It is just game one and we have to take it off the film and try to get better.”

At Oklahoma State last season, his one and only year as a Cowboy, Warren rushed for 1,216-yards and 11 touchdowns on 256 carries. Warren averaged 4.8-yards a carry. He also caught 25 passes for 225-yards. 

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Rudolph led the Steelers to 10 points in the first half.

Rudolph is in a three-way competition for the starting quarterback job that he has been waiting to assume when Ben Roethlisberger retired. Mitch Trubisky started the game and was 4-of-7 for 63-yards and a touchdown. Rudolph, who threw one of his patented deep balls that falls out of the sky for a 29-yard touchdown pass finished his night 9-of-15 passing for 93-yards and a touchdown. On the first drive he played, Pickett, the rookie out of Pittsburgh and playing in the same stadium he played in college, was 5-of-5 for 33-yards and a touchdown.

Pickett played the entire second half and as an impressive 13-of-15 for 95-yards and two touchdowns. 

The quarterback competition will rage on, but the verdict on Jaylen Warren making the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent is in. Warren will make it with the Steelers.