Jaylen Warren Earns AFC Offensive Player of the Week for Explosion Against Colts

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Jaylen Warren did something Saturday that the NFL hadn’t seen in 40 years, and with a performance like that, the former Oklahoma State tailback picked up some honors.

Warren was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his career day against the Indianapolis Colts. Warren ran for 101 yards and a touchdown and had 87 receiving yards and other score.

He became the first player to have an 80-yard touchdown reception and a 50-yard touchdown run since Herschel Walker completed the feat in 1986.

“He’s just such a slippery player,” Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “First guy rarely brings him down. He’s good inside the tackles, good outside the tackles. Always moving forward. Always spinning, slipping out of plays, finishing runs. He’s one of the most liked players on the team, so guys wanna block for him on the offensive line, and the tight ends, and the receivers. Just really enjoy his energy from start to finish every day of the week and enjoy what he does for us.”

After an excellent senior season of college ball at Oklahoma State, Warren has sort of had a stop-start NFL tenure with the Steelers.

His workload has increased of late with an injury to fellow tailback Rico Dowdle, who is set to return to practice this week. But in Dowdle’s absence, Warren has ran for 321 yards and a touchdown across three games while gaining another 169 receiving yards.

“He’s the man,” Steelers’ coach Mike McCarthy said. “He’s hauling it right now for us. There’s a number you like to continue to give him. He’s produced. It’s been heavy. It’ll be great to get Rico back this week, too. I’ll look for Rico to practice this week and hopefully be up for the game. Having them as a one, two punch was the vision for this offense, but Jaylen is crushing right now. He’s been awesome for us.”

In five games this season, Warren has run for at least 100 yards twice. He had done that four times in his first four years in the league. Whether it’s the increased workload because of the injured Dowdle or the change in offense with McCarthy taking over in Pittsburgh, Warren is starting to look like one of the better backs in the NFL.

“In my opinion he could work in any offense,” McCarthy said. “He’s dynamic in the run game. He’s excellent coming out of the backfield, and he’s as tough as they come in pass pro. …

“He’s a three-down player. He can beat you inside zone, he could beat you outside zone. There’s nothing run-concept wise we can’t lean against him, so I love his game.”

With Dowdle coming back and potentially taking some carries off Warren’s plate, perhaps his numbers will take a step back now, but the NFL is starting to learn what OSU fans quickly did: Warren is a dude.

“I look at it as whenever my name is called, that’s just how I’ve always played,” Warren said. “Whenever my name is called, I gotta seize the moment, and with Rico being down, obviously it sucks, but knowing he’s one day closer to being back, I feel like I could hold it down until then.”