PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – If rushing for six yards per carry and nine touchdowns as a rookie, or beating the Steelers with 120 yards and a TD in his last game at Acrisure Stadium didn’t earn their respect. What JK Dobbins had to do to get back to just playing in the NFL did. What a couple of Steelers said of facing the NFL’s leading rusher.
Through two games, Dobbins, now with the Chargers, has 266 yards including an NFL season long of 61-yard run. The 25-year-old averaging 9.9 yards per carry. He rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries in the season opener against Las Vegas and then 131 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers last week.
“He’s got everything-vision, speed, burst, he’s just an all-around good back,” said Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen. “He can do every single thing on the field. I think people might have underestimated him this year.”
Understandable after what he’s been through. Injuries have ended or limited his last three seasons in the NFL. It started in a Baltimore preseason game in 2021, the Ohio State All-American tore his ACL, LCL, meniscus and hamstring, on one play, against Washington. Dobbins fought back to play in 2022 he lasted until Week 6 before being put on injured reserve after another knee injury. He would return late in the season.
Last year, back in the starting lineup. The Ravens opened the season against the Texans. Dobbins scored a touchdown, before tearing his Achilles later in that game. Once again, lost for the year.
After playing in 15 games his rookie season of 2020, Dobbins has played in 13 NFL games since.
“I like seeing guys battling back from injuries, like JK did,” said linebacker Elandon Roberts on 93.7 The Fan. “I’m definitely happy the last two weeks he’s run the ball well. I’m just a guy that knows the strain of injuries. I’m happy for him.”
“I was always a big fan of him, even when he was at Ohio State,” said Steelers corner Donte Jackson. “Every football player followed his story and just understood how much he’s dealt with injuries in back-to-back years. As a football player, it’s good to see a guy like that. I had my fair share of injuries I had to come back from. Just seeing him get out there and do what he is doing is a testament to how hard he is working.”
No one on the Steelers, other than possibly college teammate Justin Fields, knows Dobbins better than linebacker Patrick Queen. They shared a locker room together in Baltimore and will share a field for the first time as opponents.
“I love JK, still one of my best friends,” Queen said. “Talk to him to this day. He’s just a great guy, great player. Happy to see him getting back to himself. As far as me, I want to shut him down. He’s the leading rusher right now, being able to go out there and shut him down would give me bragging rights.”
And likely the Steelers a 3-0 start.
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