Steelers running back Jaylen Warren posts historic game in win over Colts
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Steelers running back Jaylen Warren ran for 101 yards and a touchdown and caught six passes for 87 yards and a score in a 34-22 win over the Colts.
He is the first Steeler with a 50-yard rushing and 80-yard receiving touchdown in one game.
Background
Jaylen Warren is the Pittsburgh Steelers' running back, No. 30, and has become the offense's dual-threat bell cow under head coach Mike McCarthy. Pittsburgh started slowly in Weeks 1 and 2 but has since posted the fourth-highest EPA per play (expected points added, a per-play efficiency measure) in the league since Week 3, and its 5.58 yards per carry leads the NFL. The Colts win moved the Steelers to 3-2 and came as the team prepared for a Week 6 trip to Tampa Bay with two receivers unavailable.
How it unfolded
- Oct 12, 2026Warren rushed 15 times for 101 yards and a touchdown and caught all six targets for 87 yards and a touchdown in a 34-22 win over the Indianapolis Colts, becoming the first Steeler with a 50-yard rushing and an 80-yard receiving touchdown in the same game and the first NFL player to do it since Herschel Walker in 1986.
- Oct 12, 2026Head coach Mike McCarthy moved defensive coordinator Patrick Graham from the coaches' box to the sideline for the win.
- Oct 13, 2026At 3-2, linebacker Nick Herbig said the team has yet to stack wins.
- Oct 14, 2026The Steelers prepared to head to Tampa Bay on Sunday with the offense down two receivers.
- Oct 16, 2026DK Metcalf was listed as questionable with an illness and did not practice Friday; Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek were out for Week 6, Michael Pittman was on IR, and DeShon Elliott was out.
- Oct 17, 2026Pittsburgh placed Roman Wilson on the Reserve/Injured List (out at least four games), signed running back Lew Nichols from the practice squad, elevated receivers Brandon Johnson and Brandon Smith, and added tight end Pat Freiermuth to the injury report with a calf injury; Metcalf was removed from the report with no designation.
- Oct 18, 2026The Steelers announced their inactives for Week 6 at the Buccaneers.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- McCarthy called Warren "the man" and said having Rico Dowdle as a 1-2 punch was the vision for the offense, but "Jaylen's crushing it right now."
- Party
- Quarterback Aaron Rodgers called Warren's feat "pretty incredible" and noted it had been about 40 years since it last happened.
- Party
- Tight end Pat Freiermuth said Warren makes big plays whenever he gets the ball in space and has been "very underrated in this league for a long time."
- Caution
- Linebacker Nick Herbig said the team must "stack them now" and still has work to do, including tackling better and rallying to the ball.
Still unverified
DK Metcalf was listed as questionable with an illness and did not practice Friday ahead of Week 6; Pat Freiermuth was added to the injury report with a calf injury and listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers.