Steelers: Kaleb Johnson out of kickoffs after error; injuries concern

Kaleb Johnson Could Lose His Spot on Kickoffs After Error in the Game

Steelers rookie Kaleb Johnson “probably” won’t be returning kicks in the Week 3 game, according to coach Mike Tomlin announced on Tuesday. This decision comes after a special teams error during Sunday’s loss against the Seattle Seahawks. In the fourth quarter, Johnson seemed to believe the play was dead and let Jason Myers’ kickoff bounce over his head and into the end zone. However, under the new NFL rules, any ball that lands between the goal line and the 20-yard line and enters the end zone must be returned or downed by the receiving team. Otherwise, it’s a live ball. George Holani, Seahawks substitute, recovered the ball near the back of the end zone, resulting in a touchdown.

“Probably not in the short term,” Tomlin commented in his weekly press conference, when asked if Johnson would continue returning kickoffs. “I will certainly give Johnson the opportunity to bounce back from that. I believe in his talent. He’s a smart young man. He’s a hard worker, and that’s why we left the door open for him. We give him the opportunity to overcome it, but he has to do it.

Mike Tomlin

The coach added that Johnson will have to prove his worth through his daily work to regain his position. “We’ll see where the results take us. I’m open to it, certainly.”

Justin K. Aller/Getty ImagesAlthough Kenneth Gainwell is the other Steelers man for returns, Tomlin hasn’t decided on potential replacements for Johnson. During the preseason, the team also used Trey Sermon, now on the practice squad, as a kick returner. Roman Wilson, a second-year receiver, has some experience after returning some kicks at Michigan. After the match, Johnson expressed his regret for the mistake.

“I simply made a mistake,” Johnson said. “You have to accept it, move on, and keep improving every day.”

Kaleb Johnson

The Steelers haven’t practiced since Sunday’s loss, but Tomlin expects to see Johnson’s response and growth from the incident.

“You have to be a man, you have to recognize the deficiencies and then work to overcome them,” Tomlin said. “And it’s my job as a leader to provide that opportunity.

Mike Tomlin

“… Forget what you say, it’s about how you progress in terms of your work, the level of detail and consistency of it. And, certainly, we will observe it closely as we move forward this week.” The Steelers will also be affected by the injuries of several defensive players.