The Pittsburgh Steelers likely had some idea of what they were getting when they signed Kenneth Gainwell as a free agent before the 2025 NFL season.
The rest of the football world, though, didn’t expect anything close to what Gainwell provided Pittsburgh.
He ended up being a great tandem RB with Jaylen Warren and an immense value on a one-year deal with paid him $1.79 million.
MORE: How Patriots legend Bill Belichick missed Hall of Fame on first ballot
Gainwell is heading back to free agency now, though, and coming off a season like that, the Steelers will have a decision to make.
“He’s due for a significantly higher salary in 2026 after earning team MVP honors,” ESPN’s Brooke Pryor wrote on Wednesday. “He led the Steelers with 73 receptions and scored eight touchdowns as he split running back duties with Jaylen Warren. Gainwell was an all-purpose threat in Arthur Smith’s scheme, but these Steelers could look a lot different with Mike McCarthy calling plays.”
Then comes the part that Steelers fans who became fond of Gainwell won’t want to read.
“The Steelers haven’t typically given big contracts to running backs, and it seems more likely that the former Eagle will get paid elsewhere,” Pryor concludes.
MORE: Eli Manning and Bill Belichick now have something in common
In some ways, that makes sense. The Steelers would avoid overpaying for a player coming off a career year that might not be repeatable.
Pittsburgh would also create space for the talented young RB Kaleb Johnson to get more action.
On the flip side, Gainwell was quite reliable. It’s a tough look to move on from a player like that, especially because it’s not like he’ll get a gigantic payday from somewhere, just a nice raise.
This could fly a bit under the radar, but what the Steelers decide to do with Gainwell will be telling.
