After a costly mistake in Week 2’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks, running back Kaleb Johnson will not return kicks for the Pittsburgh Steelers for the foreseeable future.
What Happened To Kaleb Johnson In Week 2?
The Seahawks just recovered a kickoff in the end zone for a touchdown!
SEAvsPIT on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/0J1gEbqx4r
— NFL (@NFL) September 14, 2025
Johnson made a costly error in one of the game’s biggest spots.
With 12:46 left in the fourth quarter, the Seahawks held a 17-14 lead over the Steelers. Seahawks kicker Jason Myers kicked the ball off to Johnson.
The rookie let the kick go by him, and the ball bounced in the end zone. Johnson thought the play was dead.
However, the new kickoff rules state that if the ball lands between the goal line and the 20-yard line and it travels into the end zone, it must be downed or returned by the receiving team.
If no one on the receiving team touches it, then the ball is live.
The Seahawks recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. Seattle rode this momentum swing to a 31-17 road victory.
Mike Tomlin Comments On Kaleb Johnson Situation
Coach Tomlin speaks to the media ahead of our Week 3 game against the Patriots. @PNCBank
📺: #PITvsNE 9/21 at 1 PM ET on CBS https://t.co/MGu2Yhr2AG
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 16, 2025
During Wednesday’s press conference, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin discussed Johnson’s “significant play” that swung the game for the Seahawks.
“Certainly, the lack of judgment by a young return man was a significant play in the game,” said Tomlin via the Steelers’ X account. “As I mentioned after the game, a lot of times, when you’re in close ball games, particularly early in the year, there’s a play in that space, in that special team space, that often shapes or turns a game. It helped us in a positive way with the play by Kenny Gainwell against the Jets, and certainly the game the other day was a negative outcome.”
Because of the mistake, Johnson won’t return kicks “in the short term.” However, Tomlin is not writing off Johnson just yet.
“I’m certainly going to give [Johnson] an opportunity to work his way back from that,” Tomlin said. “I believe in his talent. He’s a sharp young man. He’s a hard worker, and so you leave the light on for him. You give him an opportunity to move on from it, but he has to do that. He has to display that with his daily work, and he’s going to earn himself back in the position to be a participant. And so we’ll see where the rows lead us. I’m open to it, certainly.”
Tomlin did not announce who would replace Johnson as the team’s returner. Kenneth Gainwell returned the next kick following Johnson’s error in Sunday’s loss.
The Steelers (1-1) hit the road to play the New England Patriots (1-1) in Week 3.
