Jaylen Warren Age & Biography

Jaylen Warren rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries on November 1, 2026, leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 27–6 win over the Cleveland Browns. The 28-year-old running back, who went undrafted in 2022 after starring at Oklahoma State, has grown from an undrafted free agent into Pittsburgh’s starting running back, and his performance against Cleveland showed why the Steelers committed to him with a contract extension through 2027.

Quick Facts

Who Is Jaylen Warren?

Jaylen Warren, whose full name is Derrell Jaylen Warren, is an American professional football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022, Warren worked his way from the bottom of the depth chart to the starting job, and in September 2025 he signed a two-year contract extension keeping him in Pittsburgh through 2027.

Warren is known for his physical running style, his pass protection and his reliability as a receiver. He is the cousin of former NFL running back Willie Parker, who also reached the Steelers as an undrafted free agent and went on to win two Super Bowls with the team.

Early Life & Background

Derrell Jaylen Warren was born on November 1, 1998, in Clinton, North Carolina. He attended East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, where as a senior in 2016 he rushed for 3,099 yards, breaking the 37-year-old single-season state rushing record, with 38 rushing touchdowns. He was the first player in Utah high school history to break 3,000 rushing yards in a season.

Warren began his college career at Snow College in Utah, where he was named the NJCAA National Offensive Player of the Year in 2018 and a First Team All-American. He then played at Utah State before finishing at Oklahoma State in 2021, where he rushed for 1,216 yards and was named the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year. Warren is of partial Samoan descent.

Career & Journey

Warren went unselected in the 2022 NFL draft and signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent. He made the roster as a rookie and steadily earned more playing time, and in 2023 he was named the Steelers’ starter over Najee Harris ahead of Week 12, a breakout that established him as a key piece of Pittsburgh’s offense.

In 2025, Warren was anointed the Steelers’ starting running back and signed a two-year contract extension through 2027 on September 1, 2025. In Week 5 of the 2026 season, he became the first player in Steelers history with a 50-yard rushing touchdown and an 80-yard scoring reception in the same game, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Warren’s strong 2026 season continued in Week 8, on November 1, when he carried 17 times for 143 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh’s 27–6 win over the Cleveland Browns. Through Week 8 of the 2026 season, Warren had totaled 3,336 rushing yards at a 4.9-yard average with 14 rushing touchdowns in his NFL career, along with 192 receptions for 1,521 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.

Facts About Jaylen Warren

• Warren was the first player in Utah high school history to rush for 3,000 yards in a season.
• He was named the NJCAA National Offensive Player of the Year at Snow College in 2018.
• Warren is the cousin of former Steelers running back Willie Parker, who also joined Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent.
• In Week 5 of 2026, he became the first Steeler with a 50-yard rushing touchdown and an 80-yard scoring reception in the same game.
• Warren went undrafted in 2022 before working his way to the Steelers’ starting job.

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