30 Scenarios in 30 Days: The Steelers Will Rush For More Than 2000 Yards In 2025
The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for the 2025 regular season, but before the real games begin, the team has to head to training camp back at Saint Vincent College in order to fine tune their skills. As we here at SCN prepare you for the start of camp, we give you a series called “30 Scenarios in 30 Days” which gives you a Steelers scenario every day leading up to the start of camp.
It is simple how it works. We provide you the scenario, reasons why it will or won’t happen, and then our prediction for what we think will take place.
Let’s get to the scenario…
Scenario: The Steelers Will Rush For More Than 2000 Yards In 2025
Why it will happen: The standard of 2000 rushing yards might not seem to be that impressive, especially since there were 12 NFL teams to do so last year. Also, when it comes to the Steelers, they have gone over this amount the last three seasons. The Steelers rushed for 2073 yards in 2022, 2010 yards in 2023, and 2166 yards in 2024. Even though Najee Harris, The player who started every game at running back over those last three seasons, has moved on, the Steelers will be using multiple players to help shoulder the vacant workload. Add in the fact Arthur Smith has more of a run-first offense, reaching 2000 yards should be the byproduct of a successful season.
Why it won’t happen: It’s easy to look at how the Steelers had over 2000 rushing yards the last three seasons, but before that they had gone 14 straight seasons without hitting that mark. After rushing for 2168 yards in 2007, the Steelers were nowhere close to hitting 2K since they had 1903 yards in 2011. The low point came in 2013 when the Steelers only had 1383 rushing yards.
So why were the Steelers barely able to reach 1500 rushing yards, if that, before 2022? I’ve got to notch that up to the play of Ben Roethlisberger and how good the Steelers were in the passing game. With Aaron Rodgers set to be the Steelers quarterback in 2025, will it be a similar situation?
Prediction: This one is tricky. Will the Steelers have to rely on the running game like they’ve had to the last three seasons since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement? Can Aaron Rodgers balance them out a little bit more with the passing game? The fact the Steelers have barely reached the 2000 rushing yard mark, and that Najee Harris is gone, I’m thinking they’re going to come up short in 2025. I don’t know that they’ll be that far off as I would put them over 1800 yards.
Miss a scenario? You can see the full list of scenarios below, and be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for training camp.
The Steelers will go above and beyond their win-loss prediction in 2025
The Steelers will throw more INTs than last season
The Steelers will eclipse 50 sacks in 2025
The Steelers Defense Will Have More Takeaways This Season
Aaron Rodgers will start all 17 games in 2025
I’m hoping Pgh goes >2000 yards running, to properly balance AARod, myself…
2k rushing in 25? Hmmm that seems like a pretty good over under number. I don’t see them playing with many leads, so I’m going under, but hoping they’re bumping 4,500 passing.
That scares me, JoeB. I’m for 2200 rushing, 3800 passing, with <18 turnovers from the offense, in total. Jonnu can help with the passing, but not the running. It is a good O/U value, 2k rushing, for Pgh.
Honestly JoeB, between you and JS, below, you’re helping P&G with Pepto sales.
Ha! Sorry, calling em as I see em, and I see a mediocre team at best.
It’s okay, my mediocre is just rose-colored, 11 wins, wildcard loss. Ramsey gives up the winning TD, too.
I agree. I don’t see 2000 for a few reasons. The first being it will take some time to figure out the RB rotation. The second reason is that I am not fully in on this oline. Right now, you have three second year players (one didn’t play as a rookie), the other guard is arguably declining, and the LT is there for the first time in his career. I know there is a lot of hope that this group has a ton of upside but until we see it on the field it is speculation.
I also think we will see more of a passing game in 2025 as well.
Time for my Pepto-Bismal, JSegursky. Very sorry re “the Cobra”, too.
It is always sad when the HOF takes a long time on a guy and something happens that prevents the player from experiencing that honor. Look at Hines Ward. He was never the best WR of his era but without being an accumulator by playing a tremendous number of years his numbers stack up well against them all. A lot of guys came and went during Ward’s time, but he was right there with the top guys.
Same with L.C. Greenwood and Andy Russell. Parker was legit five-tool, replaced Clemente okay.