Kaleb Johnson is preparing for his second training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers with a lot to prove after a lackluster rookie season. GM Omar Khan admitted he must “be better” in Year 2, and Johnson appears determined to answer that challenge.

With two weeks until the start of camp, Johnson is training with an accomplished NFL veteran running back in David Montgomery.

Watch Johnson’s workout he shared via Instagram.

He also shared several photos of himself with Houston Texans RB David Montgomery and Denver Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin where they are training down in Pheonix, Arizona. While some of their training activities are in an indoor facility, they are also taking advantage of the 110-degree Arizona heat.

Johnson is seven years younger than Montgomery, but both are from Cincinnati and both played college football in the state of Iowa — Montgomery at Iowa State, and Johnson at Iowa.

Montgomery was also drafted in the third round back in 2019, and has carved out a nice career with 6,115 rushing yards, 1,890 receiving yards, and 63 total touchdowns in seven seasons.

Johnson has an uphill battle to make an impact on the 2026 Steelers with Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle ahead of him on the depth chart, but he’s one injury away from playing a major role.

Working out in Pheonix right before training camp isn’t new for Johnson. He did the same a year ago and drew instant praise from then head coach Mike Tomlin for his level of conditioning entering his first camp. It was a distinct advantage last year as Tomlin opted to hold practice in the middle of the day during the hottest month of summer in Latrobe, PA.

“We was working out in Arizona. Helmets on, it was like 110 degrees every day, and just really adapting myself to that,” Johnson said via P-G Sports on YouTube last year. “So when I got here [to camp], it was nothing. It’s easy. So that’s really what I’ve been focusing on, just always being in shape and always being ready to go when I’m here.”

Johnson was an early standout at training camp, but it didn’t translate into the regular season. Now, with a year of experience under his belt, Johnson has plenty of motivation to overcome his rookie-season shortcomings.

This time, it’ll be easy with practices taking place in the morning before the hottest part of the day. What’s 80-degree Latrobe when he was training in 110-degree Pheonix?