The Pittsburgh Steelers plan to shake up their kick return game after a costly miscue shifted the momentum in the Seattle Seahawks‘ favor in Week 3.

Early in the fourth quarter, Seahawks kicker Jason Myers sent a bouncing ball deep. Kaleb Johnson let it hop right over his shoulder and into the end zone. Worse? The Seahawks scooped that live ball and turned it into a touchdown.

Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday he’ll bench Johnson from return duties for now but isn’t writing him off completely. He’ll get his chance to bounce back. But now the Steelers have shuffled their lineup quickly after the blunder.

“We have placed G Max Scharping on the Reserve/Injured List and elevated RB Trey Sermon to the Active/Inactive Roster off the Practice Squad,” the Steelers roster update read.

Steel City placed guard Max Scharping on injured reserve with a knee issue. That opened a space in the roster.

So, they quickly filled it by elevating running back Trey Sermon from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Patriots.

Sermon’s been around, hitting the field in 42 NFL games across four seasons. His spin includes stints with the Colts, Eagles, and 49ers before he landed in Pittsburgh.

The guy has carried the ball 134 times, racking up 505 yards and scoring three touchdowns. Mike Tomlin saw decent backup material in Sermon. Well, anything better than that ‘ouch!’ moment.

The Steelers needed dependable legs on the ground, and Sermon fit the bill. But Scharping’s injury hits a team that counted on his versatility.

The seventh-year guard signed a one-year deal after joining Pittsburgh last season. He played 81 games in total, starting 33, after being drafted by the Texans in 2019.

Scharping worked at both guard spots, even helped the Bengals in key playoff games last year. So, Sermon’s elevation is directly tied to this injury and the kickoff nightmare.

Mike Tomlin made it clear post-game that Johnson was on thin ice regarding kickoff duties. “I’m going to give him an opportunity to work his way back from that error,” Tomlin said.

“I believe in his talent. He’s a sharp young man. He’s a hard worker. So, you leave the light on for him. You give him an opportunity to move on from it, but he has to do that. He has to display that with his daily work, and he’s got to earn himself back in the position to be a participant. So, we’ll see where the road leads us.”

Until Johnson works his way back, the Steelers are leaning on veterans like Sermon to clean up the mess.

Johnson’s game-changing error

Tomlin is paying a heavy price for Johnson’s mistake. Not just in lost points, but in shaken confidence and forced roster juggling. Johnson himself was blunt about it after the game:

“I just made a mistake. I’ve just got to get better every day. That’s all I have to say about this. I’ve just got to go in every day and work my hardest even more with a chip on my shoulder.”

That’s the rookie humility taking a beating under the NFL spotlight. But Tomlin saw a problem regarding preparedness and reliability at a crucial moment.

Tomlin admitted the mistake weighed on his decision-making. When pushed about who would fill the return role, he stayed tight-lipped but hinted at several possibilities, including Kenneth Gainwell, Roman Wilson, and Jaylen Warren, all with varying return skills.

The stakes are high, and the kickoff is a momentum shifter. And Johnson’s error was just too costly to overlook.

Coach Tomlin was clear, though: Johnson isn’t out for good. And he will have to earn his spot back. That’s a coach holding his cards close but not ruling out redemption for the rookie.

The Steelers’ immediate priority is to clean up special teams, stabilize the backfield with a trusted hand in Sermon, and hope that Johnson bounces back without further fallout.