By now, the Pittsburgh Steelers have made it perfectly clear that wins may not come with style points. Head coach Mike Tomlin’s crew will take a victory no matter how it arrives, especially on international ground against a feisty opponent.
Sunday’s contest in Dublin saw Pittsburgh respond to adversity and take down the Minnesota Vikings 24-21. Injuries, both leading up to the game and during the action, put the Steelers behind the proverbial eight ball. The absence of running back Jaylen Warren, in particular, figured to have quite the impact on the offense.
On the contrary, things were just fine. Speaking to the media following a clutch win, Tomlin explained why the team held Warren out.
Mike Tomlin Explains Steelers’ Decision to Sit Jaylen Warren in Week 4
Despite some initial optimism that Warren could play through his knee injury, the Steelers simply didn’t think the juice was worth the squeeze.
“Jaylen was a pre-game decision,” Tomlin said. “That’s why we listed him as questionable. He worked out prior to the game and we just didn’t feel good enough, man. Didn’t want to put him in a uniform and then he wouldn’t be able to finish, and then you’re working a guy short. We worked him out, and that’s where we settled. Jaylen’s a tough guy. He wanted to do it, but I just thought it was prudent not to.”
As early as Saturday morning, national reports surfaced that Warren was “expected to play” in the Minnesota matchup. Pittsburgh’s panel of afternoon workouts in Ireland indicated the opposite, thus making him an inactive for the first time since Week 5 of last season.
Warren, the top running back in the rotation, has 43 carries under his belt this year. He’s averaging just 3.1 yards per carry on those attempts, but he’s posting a career-high success rate of 53.5%. He also has 11 receptions on 12 targets for 142 yards; that 12.9 yards-per-catch figure is also a personal best.
The club felt confident sitting Warren, largely due to who stepped into his shoes on offense.
Tomlin Praises Kenneth Gainwell for Superb Performance vs. Vikings
Fellow halfback Kenneth Gainwell was outstanding in Week 4. On 19 rush attempts, he gained 99 yards and scored a touchdown. He was also the Steelers’ leader in receptions with 6, totaling 35 yards on those efforts and converting on each target he received.
It was an uber-efficient game for someone Tomlin seems to trust quite a bit. He echoed that sentiment once again after the action concluded.
“But I’ve also got a great deal of confidence in Kenny Gainwell, and he showed you why,” Tomlin said. “Top-notch competitor and professional. He’s been a great asset to us in the running game, out of the backfield. He’s just a football player first, and I appreciate his efforts today.”
Nothing about that performance caught Tomlin off guard. He’s grown to expect productivity from the former Super Bowl champ.
“I’d tell you, man, Kenny is always ready for whatever we ask him to do,” Tomlin said. “No, I would not be surprised by that. He’s just a top-notch competitor, and I’m glad he’s with us.”
Because rookie Kaleb Johnson has yet to separate from the pack, players like Gainwell are playing expanded roles. Actually, Johnson may have separated, just in the wrong direction due to special teams woes and a lack of rushing consistency. Sunday didn’t reverse the latter trend, as the first-year man mustered just 22 yards on 6 carries.
According to rbsdm.com, the Steelers averaged 0.16 EPA/play on rushes on Sunday. That’s a 91st-percentile efficiency mark. Their 62% success rate on such plays ranks in the 99th percentile. On Gainwell runs, those figures were 0.18 and 68%, respectively. It was one of the cleaner outings of the still-young 2025-26 campaign.
Thanks to that, the Steelers can head into the bye week with some momentum and ensure Warren is healthy for the rest of the year.
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