Jan 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) rushes the ball against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Steelers RBs Steal Show in AFC North Championship

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 2:00 PM ET

On one of the more chaotic nights in recent Pittsburgh Steelers history, it was the team's running back tandem that kept the offense afloat alongside Aaron Rodgers.

As Pittsburgh clinched the AFC North for the first time in 2020 with a 26-24 victory over the Baltimore Ravens that finished with a missed 44-yard field goal attempt by rookie kicker Tyler Loop, a majority of the attention was trained on Rodgers, the Steelers' defense and even Chris Boswell, who didn't connect on an extra-point attempt after Calvin Austin III scored the go-ahead touchdown with 55 seconds left.

The heroes of the night, however, were Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell, who once again showed up and dominated in their own ways, proving that they're the backbone of Pittsburgh's offense in the process.

Warren's All-Around Night

Warren ran into a bit of a rough patch between Weeks 12 and 15, rushing for a total of 149 yards on 48 attempts over that span, but he's kicked things back into gear lately.

After going off for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries vs. the Detroit Lions in Week 16 and an efficient 64 yards on 12 carries against the Cleveland Browns in Week 17, Warren was a force once again in the Steelers' bout with Baltimore.

He closed out the contest with 66 yards on 14 attempts while also tacking on five receptions, which tied for a season-high, for 33 yards.

Warren gave the Ravens' defense fits all night in the open field, and he consistently moved the chains for Pittsburgh as they secured a season-saving win.

The 27-year-old concluded the regular season with a career-high 958 rushing yards and six touchdowns to go with 333 receiving yards and two scores on 40 catches.

Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Gainwell's Prowess Through the Air

Without DK Metcalf for a second-straight week as his suspension for a fan altercation at Ford Field in Week 16 came to an end, Gainwell served as Rodgers' No. 1 target against the Ravens.

Fresh off winning the Steelers' Team MVP Award, Gainwell hauled in eight passes on nine targets for 64 yards, which was his third-highest single game total this year.

The 26-year-old also scored a two-yard rushing touchdown with just under four minutes left in the contest.

Gainwell, who signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh in free agency, developed into a truly invaluable component of the team's game plan on offense with 537 rushing yards, 486 receiving yards and eight total touchdowns.

He's set to reach the open market once again this offseason, but considering how productive he's been for the Steelers and the way he and Warren are able to play off one another, the organization would be foolish to let him end up elsewhere.

Even with Metcalf set to return for the team's Wild Card round matchup against the No. 5-seeded Houston Texans, Gainwell and Warren should remain at the center of Pittsburgh's offense.

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