Losing reigning team MVP and Swiss Army knife Kenneth Gainwell in free agency was a big blow for the Pittsburgh Steelers after he led the team in receptions and was a d0-everything back whom teammates loved.
Fortunately for the Steelers, they pivoted quickly and signed a running back with experience and success in new head coach Mike McCarthy’s offensive scheme in veteran Rico Dowdle.
The Steelers landed Dowdle on a two-year deal worth $12.25 million, which came in under what Gainwell signed for in Tampa Bay. Though he’s not the pass catcher Gainwell is, Dowdle is the better runner and feels like a great fit for Pittsburgh as that rough-and-tumble runner.
During a segment on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football Wednesday, Kyle Brandt said the Dowdle pairing with the Steelers is a move that isn’t being talked about enough around the league.
“Do you think Pittsburgh would like a hard runner like this guy who just wants to churn out that real estate up the middle? I love it,” Brandt said of Dowdle, according to video via NFL Network. “You get the oldest quarterback in the league who, of course as we know, is already the Steelers’ starting quarterback. We don’t entertain any other options. You give ’em receivers, you give ’em a running back.
“I want like 250 carries for Rico this year; I’m all about it…I like it and I’m way in on him.”
Brandt brought up Dowdle because of his stretch of elite-level play during the 2025 season that generated plenty of buzz. October and early November was a breakout time for Dowdle. He ran for 206 yards and a touchdown against Miami and followed that up with a 183-yard performance against Dallas the next week.
In early November, Dowdle ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns against Green Bay, leading the Carolina Panthers to a surprise road win in the process.
Though his role diminished late in the year as the Panthers pushed for the playoffs, Dowdle had a strong season, rushing for 1,076 yards and six touchdowns while adding 39 receptions for 297 yards and a touchdown. Now, he has a chance to carve out a role in Pittsburgh, reuniting with Mike McCarthy, who coached him in Dallas.
Jaylen Warren is the clear RB1 in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers had a lot of success with a two-headed RB room last season with Gainwell handling a significant workload. That should be the case once again this season, though Warren and Dowdle can split carries in an effort to keep both healthy down the stretch.
The two have similar running styles and bring a physical, punishing element to the position. That should fit in well in Pittsburgh. But 250 carries for Dowdle might be a stretch.
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