‘They Look Awesome': McCarthy ‘Very Pleased' With Steelers' RB Duo

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed veteran running back Rico Dowdle in free agency this offseason, raising expectations for the Steelers' running back room. Dowdle has experience with head coach Mike McCarthy from their time in Dallas, while Jaylen Warren is coming off a career year in the Black and Gold. Together, the two former undrafted free agents project to form a dynamic duo under McCarthy. The only real concern entering the regular season is that the Steelers haven't seen much of them on the field so far. Dowdle played just 10 snaps in the preseason, all against the New York Jets. Warren played just nine snaps against the Jets. Together, the two combined for just 11 touches in the preseason. Despite the limited work, McCarthy is excited for what's to come with the two-headed backfield monster. 'Oh, they look awesome. They really do,' McCarthy said of the running backs, according to video via the team's YouTube page. 'It's my preference. I prefer to have two guys you can just go, just let them play first, second, third down, and Jaylen and Rico both have that. 'I've been very pleased with both those guys' camps.' Coach McCarthy speaks to the media ahead of our Week 1 game against the Falcons. @PNCBank 📺: #ATLvsPIT 9/13 at 1:00 PM ET on FOX https://t.co/UJagYhhKQ3 — Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 7, 2026 The snap and touch distribution remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the Steelers are in a great spot with the pairing. Warren showed last season, albeit in a different scheme, that he can be a workhorse. He rushed for a career-high 852 yards and was durable throughout the season. He should see more touches as a receiver out of the backfield this season now that Kenneth Gainwell departed for Tampa Bay. Warren's role early in his career was as a third-down running back due to his abilities after the catch out of the backfield and his elite pass protection. The Steelers could use that again on third downs, while Dowdle could be the between-the-tackles hammer McCarthy can use on early downs. Throughout training camp, it appeared that Dowdle had the nod over Warren as the RB1 , although Warren was listed as the starter on the depth chart throughout training camp and the preseason. We'll see if that changes ahead of the Week 1 game against the Atlanta Falcons.