The Philadelphia Eagles saw several players from last season’s Super Bowl team leave in free agency for lucrative multi-year contracts to kick off the legal tampering period on Monday. That trend continued on Tuesday night, as running back Kenneth Gainwell will be heading to the AFC North.
Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reports that Gainwell has finalized a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Sources: The #Steelers are finalizing a 1-year with former #Eagles RB Kenneth Gainwell.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 12, 2025
Gainwell, who had 1,906 total yards and 13 TDs in four years with Philly, stays in the state of Pennsylvania. pic.twitter.com/PbyHwb9Ctk
The 25-year-old running back played an instrumental role in the Eagles over the last four seasons as a quality backup behind Miles Sanders, D’Andre Swift, and Saquon Barkley. He notably was a favorite of head coach Nick Sirianni, who stuck with him despite major changes taking place in the backfield throughout his tenure.
Gainwell helped the Eagles’ offense as a change of pace running back and showed his worth immediately as someone who can help out in pass protection. The former fifth-round pick also received an increased opportunity on special teams in 2024.
The former Mississippi State running back averaged 25.3 yards per kickoff return and had 18 returns, which was good for sixth in the NFL. As for his offensive production, Gainwell posted 406 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown on 91 touches in 2024.
Over his four-year tenure with the Eagles, Gainwell had 1,906 yards from scrimmage and 13 total touchdowns.
Philadelphia will miss Gainwell’s presence in the backfield next season, but the hope is that Will Shipley is ready to take on that role. Shipley was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
As a rookie, Shipley had 117 yards from scrimmage on 34 carries. He also played some special teams, averaging 28.8 yards per kick return and handling kick coverage duties. Shipley’s shining moment in 2024 was his performance in the NFC title game, where he ripped off a 57-yard run and scored his first NFL touchdown.
Even though the Eagles have Shipley, it would not be surprising to see them add more depth to the position to help fill Gainwell’s role.