Steelers head coach offers Kaleb Johnson a clean slate

At the NFL Owners' Meetings, new Steelers coach Mike McCarthy compared Kaleb Johnson's situation to a confession and said the player could get a clean slate. Johnson had a difficult rookie year that included a costly special-teams fumble and currently sits behind Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle on the depth chart.

Mike McCarthy, in his first months as Pittsburgh's head coach, spoke at the NFL Owners' Meetings and used a comparison to the Catholic sacrament of confession when describing Kaleb Johnson's standing with the team. He suggested the player could receive a fresh start under the new staff. Johnson is a second-year running back who struggled as a rookie and had a costly fumble on special teams. The team’s running back group includes Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, who are ahead of Johnson on the depth chart. Key details: - Mike McCarthy spoke about Kaleb Johnson at the NFL Owners' Meetings and framed the situation as offering a clean slate. - Johnson was a third-round pick last year and had a difficult rookie season, including a special-teams fumble. - He is currently listed behind Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle on the running back depth chart. - The coach’s comment signals a potential opportunity for Johnson to compete for playing time under the new staff. Summary: McCarthy’s remarks indicate the Steelers may allow Johnson to try to reset his standing with the team, but he remains low on the depth chart with limited immediate playing prospects. Undetermined at this time.