The Pittsburgh Steelers‘ 2025-26 roster is set, at least initially. Head coach Mike Tomlin and Co. know who they’ll enter the year with, pending extra moves and alterations on the fringes.
One of the staples of the debut roster is Pittsburgh carrying three running backs. The duo of Jaylen Warren and Kaleb Johnson is getting plenty of attention, and rightfully so. The third member of the committee, however, may deserve more buzz.
Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette certainly believes so. On a weekday edition of 93.7 The Fan‘s morning show, he said newcomer Kenneth Gainwell will make fans “surprised” in 2025.
Analyst Predicts Kenneth Gainwell Will Surprise Steelers Fans
Fittipaldo believes the Steelers will be more than happy to utilize Gainwell. The former Philadelphia Eagles standout could be in for a bigger workload, in his eyes.
“I think people are going to be surprised [by] how much they use Kenneth Gainwell early in the season,” Fittipaldo said. “He’s a good player. He had limited touches because of [Saquon] Barkley. I think with increased touches… I think people are going to be surprised at how good he is and how much the Steelers plan on using him.
It remains to be seen if that will be the case. In four seasons with the most recent Super Bowl champs, Gainwell’s involvement was mostly consistent. His career-low mark for touches, 76, came in 2022. His career-high of 114 happened in 2023. His rookie and senior seasons saw him log 101 and 91 touches, respectively, which sets a solid floor.
Unfortunately for Gainwell, his production per touch has slipped. After averaging 5.4 yards in each of his first two years, it fell to 4.8 in 2023 and 4.5 last year. Despite that, he remains an intriguing rushing threat and a capable pass-catching option. The Steelers love his ability to impact the finer areas of the game, such as special teams and pass protection.
This preseason, Gainwell toted the ball 4 times for 9 yards and had a reception for 2 yards.
Gainwell & Pittsburgh Excited for 2025-26 Partnership
Speaking to the media after signing this offseason, Gainwell explained what drew him to the Steelers.
“I felt like it was the right team to come to,” Gainwell said. “I know what Coach Mike Tomlin does here. That running back room is a pretty stout room, so I want to bring my talents into that room and give them all I can.”
Tomlin, Gainwell’s new head coach, raved about his jack-of-all-trades skill set.
“He’s good, he’s good inside the backfield, he’s good out of the backfield,” Tomlin said. “He’s a good route runner, he’s good outside zone runner. He’s got a well-rounded game, and that’s one of the reasons why we’re excited about acquiring him.”
How Pittsburgh divvies up its backfield reps is worth monitoring. Leading the way will be Warren, who figures to have a breakout year in the post-Najee Harris era. The rookie (Johnson) is getting no shortage of buzz, though, especially if Warren struggles with ball security.
Gainwell is the third man, but his ability to do a bit of everything could set him apart.
It’s a stronger halfback room than the Steelers have had in a while. That will benefit quarterback Aaron Rodgers and company throughout the upcoming campaign.
Steelers Fans Could Be ‘Surprised’ by Slept-On Contributor in 2025