Rico Dowdle's rushing to the Steel City.
The now-former Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers 1,000-yard rusher is signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a two-year, $12.25 million deal, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Monday night.
Dowdle departs Charlotte after just one season, but his second in a row topping 1,000 yards and looks to fill a void left by Kenneth Gainwell for the Steelers.
Gainwell is signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leaving a spot for Dowdle to fill alongside Jaylen Warren. Ranked 82nd on Gregg Rosenthal's top 101 free agents list, Dowdle was the fourth-best RB option in the 2026 free-agent class, per Rosenthal.
A member of the Dallas Cowboys roster from 2020-2024, Dowdle was largely underutilized before spring into action in 2024, when he rushed for 1,079 yards. He left to sign a one-year pact with the Panthers last season, reaching 1,076 yards on a career-high 236 carries while rushing for six touchdowns.
Having waned down the stretch after taking the RB1 reins from Chuba Hubbard, Dowdle is now bound for Pittsburgh.