The Pittsburgh Steelers made Rico Dowdle one of their biggest offensive additions of the offseason. ESPN’s Ben Solak believes what they get from him could go a long way toward determining whether they are a playoff team.
Solak named Dowdle Pittsburgh’s X-factor for the 2026 season, focusing on how important the veteran running back could be to an offense led by 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers.
“It’s hard to imagine a Steelers offense that is playoff-caliber without an elite running game,” Solak wrote.
For Pittsburgh, that puts plenty of pressure on its new $12.25 million backfield addition.
Steelers’ Rico Dowdle Gets Major Playoff Responsibility
The Steelers signed Dowdle to a two-year contract in March after he posted consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons with two different teams.
Dowdle rushed for a career-high 1,079 yards with the Dallas Cowboys in 2024 before joining the Carolina Panthers and producing another 1,076 yards and six touchdowns last season. Pittsburgh signed him to a two-year deal, reuniting him with head coach Mike McCarthy, who coached Dowdle in Dallas.
Solak believes the fit matters because of how Pittsburgh may have to win games with Rodgers.
He described Dowdle as a physical, straightforward runner who can handle the grinding work alongside Jaylen Warren. Solak noted Dowdle ranks ninth in yards per rush and 12th in rushing yards per game over the past two seasons despite sharing carries in Dallas and Carolina.
Dowdle also ranked sixth in rushing success rate over that span, according to Solak.
That style could allow Pittsburgh to use Warren differently.
Warren is coming off a career season of his own. He rushed for 958 yards and six touchdowns on 211 carries in 2025 while adding 40 receptions for 333 yards and two receiving scores.
Solak argued Warren is at his best when he can use fresh legs after another back has handled the more physical work earlier in drives. Dowdle could now fill the role Najee Harris previously occupied alongside Warren while giving Pittsburgh another proven runner.
Rico Dowdle Could Be Key to Steelers’ Playoff Formula
The larger issue for Pittsburgh is what the running game means for Rodgers.
Rodgers is entering his age-42 season after signing another one-year contract with Pittsburgh. Rodgers has made clear there is no uncertainty about his future beyond 2026, with this set to be his final NFL season.
The Steelers aren’t building an offense that needs him to throw the ball 40 or 45 times every Sunday.
A productive Dowdle-Warren combination could offer another path.
Solak believes Pittsburgh’s offensive line could be the best Dowdle has played behind during his NFL career.
“If Dowdle fills his role well behind this Steelers offensive line, which could be the best he has played behind, Pittsburgh has an avenue to defensive victories thanks to a reliable rushing attack that controls the clock and stays ahead of the sticks,” Solak wrote.
That is why his X-factor designation carries more weight than simply asking whether Dowdle reaches 1,000 yards for a third consecutive season.
Pittsburgh signed Dowdle after losing Kenneth Gainwell in free agency and gave itself a back who has rushed for more than 2,100 yards over the past two seasons. Warren gives McCarthy a second productive option who averaged 4.5 yards per carry last season.
The Steelers don’t necessarily need either player to carry the offense alone.
They may need the combination to carry enough of it that Rodgers doesn’t have to.
If Solak is right, Dowdle’s first season in Pittsburgh won’t simply determine whether the Steelers upgraded their backfield. It could help determine whether their offense is good enough to get them back into the postseason.
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