The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of decisions to make in the 2026 offseason, between cut candidates, trade candidates, and free agents. The Steelers will be very busy. Under new Head Coach Mike McCarthy, the Steelers aren't likely to have a roster overhaul. They brought McCarthy in because they believe that they have the roster to win, and that McCarthy will get them over the hump. They don't have a ton of important free agents to re-sign, but there is one player that is set to hit the market that the Steelers will not let walk without a legitimate fight.
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Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) during a regular season matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.
Running back and team MVP Kenneth Gainwell is set to be a free agent in March. Gainwell broke out in 2025 with 537 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He also had a team leading 73 catches for 486 yards and three touchdowns. The Steelers signed Gainwell to a one-year 1,790,000 early in 2025 free agency. Gainwell spent the previous four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles as a backup.
Gainwell bet on himself, leaving the Super Bowl winners, and it seems to have paid off. Gainwell has set himself up to have a nice payday. Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette appeared on 93.7 The Fan and gave promising news on the Steelers plan with Gainwell.
"I think they're going to do everything in their power to make sure Gainwell does come back," Fittipaldo said.
Gainwell was one of the Steelers' most important players on offense throughout the 2025 campaign. This would not be a bank-breaking extension. Gainwell has also made it clear that he wants to return to Pittsburgh. Gainwell was a nice complement to Jaylen Warren, as the two made up one of the top running back duos in the NFL; keeping them together should be one of Omar Khan's top priorities in the coming weeks.
AP
Steelers' running backs Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell celebrate after a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers.
Gainwell only got better as the season went on. At times, he was the Steelers' only source of offense, with Aaron Rodgers practically force-feeding him the ball. Gainwell and Warren have similar skill sets; both are better receiving backs than traditional running backs, but Gainwell can make people miss, more so than Warren. Warren is one of the hardest running backs to tackle in the NFL. The change of pace between the two was crucial for the Steelers' offense in the 2025 season.
Steelers Running Back Room Will Be Even Better In 2026
If Gainwell re-signs with the Steelers in the coming weeks, their running back room may be even better than in 2025. They were already excellent in 2025, but under McCarthy, the duo could be even better. Gainwell will be in a new, improved offensive system. He will have an offensive-minded head coach, as he did with the Eagles. McCarthy should be able to exploit Gainwell's skills far better than Arthur Smith could.
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Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy during his time with the Dallas Cowboys 2024
McCarthys' last season with the Dallas Cowboys, he saw running back Rico Dowdle have a breakout season. Dowdle under McCarthy had over 1,000 rushing yards in his first season as a starter. He's also seen the breakout of Tony Pollard, who made a Pro Bowl under McCarthy. Gainwell and Warren may have just been scratching the surface under the previous coaching regime.
Gainwell was one of the Steelers' best overall players this season and easily their most surprising. The Steelers have no excuses. Gainwell is a must re-sign. He will not be expensive; he was reliable, didn't miss a game. He's also missed only two games in his career; he's been very durable. Keeping Gainwell and Warren paired together should be the Steelers' top priority in free agency. It's now up to Khan to just pay the man.
What do you think? Should the Steelers make Gainwell the top priority? Will Gainwell hit the market? If yes, are there any other running backs you think the Steelers should target?
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