Every NFL rookie endures a humbling initiation moment, but Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson received his courtesy from a teammate, running back Jaylen Warren, during a relentless training camp drill at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
Appearing on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” Wilson detailed his eye-opening collision with the hard-hitting running back during the team's famous "backs on backers" pass-protection drill under former head coach Mike Tomlin. Coming out of college, Wilson assumed his size advantage would allow him to power straight through opposing backs.
Wilson quickly discovered that NFL physicality hits differently when charging directly at Warren.
“[Jaylen Warren] caught me right up under my chin, unbuckled
my chin straps.” Steelers LB @payton_wilson21 describes his 'welcome to the NFL' moment with fellow Steelers RB 🤣 pic.twitter.com/uFZWD9376V
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) October 13, 2026
“Coming from college man, you know, a little bigger than most running backs, when you’re blitzing you kinda just lean into them and get them off of you or run right through them,” Wilson explained. “You know, I thought that was the case with him. My initial thought was, ‘I’m gonna run through Jaylen Warren, ’ you know? It sounded all good and jolly.”
The plan unraveled instantly upon impact. Warren stood his ground, delivering a jolt that left an indelible impression on the rookie defender.
“I ran straight at him, he hit me and caught me right up under my chin, unbuckled my chin straps, I think I hit my knee or something,” Wilson laughed. “You see it every week with him in pass protection and the way he runs the ball. He’s very tough.”
For Wilson, the bone-jarring rep served as a classic welcome-to-the-league lesson on the raw power required at the professional level, and a stark reminder of why Warren has earned a reputation as one of the NFL's premier pass-blocking backs.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Payton Wilson on brutal 'Welcome to the NFL' moment vs. Jaylen Warren
