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Report: Former Steelers RB Kenneth Gainwell signs deal with Tampa Bay Buccaneers

IMG_6598by: Nick Kosko03/09/26nickkosko59

Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per Jordan Schultz. The deal is worth $14 million.

“BREAKING: Kenneth Gainwell is signing with the Bucs on a 2-year, $14M deal, with $10M guaranteed, per sources,” Schultz wrote on Twitter/X. “Deal done by Win Sports Group. Gainwell, the Steelers’ team MVP last year, had 1,023 total yards and 8 TDs and is an ascending player as a runner and pass catcher.”

In his long year with the Steelers, Gainwell was a key role player for the Pittsburgh offense and a favorite of QB Aaron Rodgers. He had 114 carries for 537 yards, five touchdowns, 4.7 yards per carry, 73 catches, 486 receiving yards and three touchdown rceptions.

Gainwell spent the first four seasons of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles (2021-24), winning a Super Bowl in 2024 and appearing in another in ’22. In total, he has 1,722 rushing yards, 17 touchdowns, 175 catches, 1,207 receiving yards and four touchdown receptions.

The Eagles drafted Gainwell out of Memphius in 2021 in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. In college, he was First-Team All-AAC, the AAC Rookie of the Year and won the Shaun Alexander Award.

The Steelers are making roster moves, but they will await a decision from Rodgers. He has no immediate answer on his NFL future.

“What are we sitting here, it’s March 4? Free agency starts in a week,” Rodgers said. “I’ve been spending a lot of time with my wife, we went on a ski trip, just been laying low, there’s a lot of other things going on with the situation in Malibu that have changed some things. But I’ve talked to Mike, I’ve talked to Omar — there’s been no deadline that’s been put in front of me, there’s no contract that’s been offered, so there’s nothing that I’m having to debate between. I’m a free agent.

“… I think there’s conversations to be had down the line but there hasn’t been any progressive conversations. I love Mike, and Mike and I have kept in contact over the years. I had a conversation with Omar, and I really think Omar enjoyed having me there, I think the guys had a positive response to our time together.”