Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Jaylen Warren has been a bit of a polarizing figure throughout the league. He has shaken up the fan base by surpassing a first-round draft pick’s running abilities at times. This has his fans screaming for him to get more recognition. He has also shaken up the entire NFL by laying some serious blocks on defenders. This has the NFL on notice issuing Warren hefty fines. Now he has received the most confusing message of all by the league, an award for exactly what he has been fined for in the past.

As an undrafted rookie free agent, he was signed by the Steelers in 2022. This put him in direct competition with his teammate, running back Najee Harris, who was drafted in the first round in 2021. Harris electrified crowds when he was at the University of Alabama, showing off his signature move, hurdling defenders. Harris had an outstanding rookie season working with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in his final season before joining the NFL.

Then in 2022, the Steelers signed veteran Mitch Trubisky and drafted Kenny Pickett to replace Roethlisberger. The new quarterbacks were working with an offensive coordinator in Matt Canada, who had only been in the position for one season. The offense was shaky at best.

To try to get the offense to perform better, Head Coach Mike Tomlin implemented a kind of “running back by committee” plan. He used both Warren and Harris almost equally, drawing on their individual strengths. One strength the team discovered Warren had is his ability to block.

Steelers’ Jaylen Warren’s On-Field Talents Are Met With Mixed Messages
This ability to block exceptionally well did not escape the notice of the league and Warren has found himself being heavily fined multiple times this season. In fact, since Warren was an undrafted free agent, now in the second year of his contract and who makes the league minimum, he has been working for free or close to it for some weeks due to the fines.

These outrageous fines, like the one for a block against a Los Angeles Rams defender in Week 7, cost Warren $48,556, or nearly his whole paycheck. This has gotten the attention of some real hard hitters like J.J. Watt, brother of Steelers’ T.J. Watt, who are two of the most impactful players the league has ever seen. One of the most mind-blowing aspects of the fines is that Warren, an offensive player making less than most players, is fined the same amount as Watt, a defensive edge rusher, who was the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL at one point.

Fast forward to Week 16 and the Steelers are playing division rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals. Warren, in an effort to help his teammate wide receiver Calvin Austin III score, lays a huge block on Bengals linebacker, Germaine Pratt. Steeler Nation held its breath waiting for the announcement about fines to come rolling in. Instead, Warren got something surprising from the league, an award.

It was announced on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football that Warren had been recognized with the NFL’s Way To Play Award for the week. That block that leveled Pratt, helped the Steelers secure a much-needed victory, as Austin was able to waltz right into the end zone for the team’s second touchdown of the game.

The award is accompanied by a $5,000 grant that the selected player can gift to a youth or high school football program of their choosing. GMF host and former NFL safety Devin McCourty praised Warren’s technique.

“It’s the same foot, same shoulder, he delivers the blow, there’s no helmet, he knocks the guy down, makes the huge block for his teammate,” lauded McCourty. “He does it the right way.”

While nearly everyone understands that the league is trying to make football safe for everyone, Watt expressed his frustration over the inconsistency of the calls on The Pat McAfee Show recently. Watt told McAfee that there are serious discrepancies in their application of the rules. He noted that if the NFL is going to fine players for lowering their head safely to get leverage, then they also need to fine tight ends that use cut blocks. Watt said he fears the league is headed towards being one where only flag football is played.

Warren has been very vocal about the fines and of course, isn’t happy about it. But he has said that he is not planning to change his style of play. He understands however, that the league has to do what they think is best.

In the meantime, it seems likely that Tomlin will keep using both Warren and Harris for their very different running abilities, and Warren’s ability to knock a defender on his behind to secure touchdowns will be key.