Despite being the reigning team MVP and knowing where the team stands regarding wanting him back for 2026 and beyond, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell is set to hit free agency at the start of the new league year.
Two days after reporting that the Steelers are preparing to lose Gainwell in free agency, along with veteran guard Isaac Seumalo, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac expanded on Gainwell Monday during an appearance on 102.5 WDVE.
“If he does leave, it’d be the first time since Neil O’Donnell in 1996 when the team MVP left the following year. It just seems kind of odd that that would be the case. He wants to test the market. They know that, we’ll see what the market bears for running back,” Dulac said of Gainwell, according to audio via DVE. “Jaylen Warren makes five-and-a-half million. Are they gonna pay him more than Jaylen Warren per year? I don’t know about that. Sure, they’d like to keep him, but it’s kinda like Justin Fields.
“If he’s gonna test the market, he’s gonna test the market. We’ll see what he gets.”
Gainwell is coming off a terrific 2025 season. He rushed for a career-high 537 yards and five touchdowns on 114 carries, while also leading the Steelers with 73 receptions for 486 yards and three touchdowns.
That came after Gainwell signed a one-year, $1.79 million deal in free agency to leave the Philadelphia Eagles, taking a chance on a larger role in Pittsburgh.
It paid off, and Gainwell is now in line to get a decent payday in free agency, whether that’s in Pittsburgh or elsewhere.
The Athletic projects Gainwell to land a two-year deal for $10 million, while Pro Football Focus continues to project a two-year, $8 million deal with $4 million guaranteed. Both of those deals seem reasonable for the Steelers, but Gainwell might try and land a third year or more money per year on the open market.
That’s how it’s similar to the Fields situation for Dulac. Fields started six games for the Steelers in 2024 and the team very clearly wanted him back but at an affordable price. Instead, Fields landed a two-year, $40 million deal from the New York Jets. It didn’t go well and now he could be back in free agency at the start of the new league year.
Gainwell would still have his role in Pittsburgh as the 1-2 punch with Jaylen Warren, even in a new offense with Mike McCarthy as head coach. Still, he reportedly wants to see what else is out there.
“He’s never been a starter. Nobody’s gonna sign him as a starter,” Dulac added regarding Gainwell. “He’s a complementary back who could catch the ball. And in today’s NFL, that’s a nice piece of the puzzle. So we’ll see what he commands.”
Hopefully Gainwell doesn’t like what he sees on the open market and returns to Pittsburgh on an affordable deal that both takes care of the player, but is also friendly to the team. He’s earned that payday.
If not, the Steelers will have to pivot and add another running back, either in free agency or in the 2026 NFL Draft, even with second-year pro Kaleb Johnson on the roster.
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