Montana Lemonious-Craig lasted just one day in No. 14 for the Pittsburgh Steelers. As first pointed out by Steelers.com’s Dale Lolley and confirmed by Pittsburgh’s media website, RB Kenneth Gainwell has switched his number to No. 14 from his previous No. 21. Lemonious-Craig, signed yesterday, is now wearing No. 21.
Steelers RB Kenneth Gainwell has switched his number to 14 since it opened up. Had been wearing No. 21. Had worn 14 in Philadelphia.
— Dale Lolley (@dlolley_pgh) May 28, 2025
Gainwell wore No. 14 during the first four seasons of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, but when he signed with Pittsburgh this offseason, the number was taken by George Pickens. Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys earlier this month, and the Steelers gave the number to Lemonious-Craig. It appears that he and Gainwell have switched after he wore No. 14 for the first day of OTAs.
It wasn’t a number that seemingly had any significance to Lemonious-Craig, who wore No. 5 at Arizona. More notably, it means that WR DK Metcalf, who wore No. 14 with the Seattle Seahawks and is currently wearing No. 4 for the Steelers, won’t be switching to No. 14.
Gainwell jerseys have been on sale since he signed with Pittsburgh, and they’re still available on NFL Shop with his number at No. 21. If anyone’s like me and enjoy the oddity of random jerseys or obscure players and bought a Gainwell No. 21 jersey, it’ll be a fun story tell to own the Kenneth Gainwell jersey of the number that he sported for all of one day of OTAs.
Gainwell is expected to make Pittsburgh’s 53-man roster and serve in a backfield rotation with Jaylen Warren and Kaleb Johnson. He played a key role on third downs for the Philadelphia Eagles, and he could also work in a third-down role and get some looks in the passing game for Pittsburgh. He’s a skilled pass blocker and receiver and he should fit in well with the Steelers, who are looking to improve their rushing attack and replace some of the production lost with Najee Harris signing with the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency.
If Lemonious-Craig is able to surprise and make Pittsburgh’s roster, he’ll be the first wide receiver to wear No. 21 for the Steelers since Glenn Scolnik in 1973. Scolnik’s Steelers and NFL career lasted one game, as he appeared in a Week 6 win over the New York Jets wearing No. 21. He was the second receiver who wore No. 21 for Pittsburgh, but the first came when the team was still known as the Pirates, as Paul McDonough caught six passes in six games as a rookie in 1938 while wearing No. 21.
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