The success that Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts enjoyed last season for the Philadelphia Eagles helped push veteran rusher Kenneth Gainwell out the door this spring.
Despite the production Gainwell enjoyed in Philadelphia -- accumulating over 1,900 yards from scrimmage and 13 total touchdowns in the 66 games he played for the Eagles -- the former fifth-round pick was forced to sign a one-year, $1.7 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers this past offseason.
Gainwell may be locked in at that number for now, but he likely just made himself plenty of money with a Week 4 explosion overseas.
Ex-Eagle Kenneth Gainwell Setting Himself Up For Big Contract in 2026
Philly's former backup looked like a star in a spot start for Pittsburgh, who was without RB1 Jaylen Warren on Sunday due a knee injury. Gainwell helped literally carrry the Steelers to the win in Dublin, running rampant for 99 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He flashed his dual-threat abilities as well with another 35 receiving yards on six receptions to make his breakout even more impressive.
As ESPN's Mina Kimes shared during the game, the Steelers were averaging a 40% success rate on the ground entering Sunday's matchup. By himself, Gainwell enjoyed an 86% success rate on the ground against Minnesota. For those who may be unfamiliar with that statistic, the success rate in the rushing game is measured by a rusher gaining at least 40% of the yards to go on first down, 60% on second down, and 100% on third or fourth down.
With Warren sidelined, Gainwell had the opportunity to show what he is capable of as an RB1, and his performance just showed the rest of the league what he can do with a bigger role on offense. That's in addition to what he was already providing as an early special teams standout for Pittsburgh, which makes him an incredibly valuable depth piece for any squad.
Even though Gainwell won't be close to Barkley territory next offseason, he's already helping raise his earnings potential for 2026 and positioning himself as a sought-after complementary back for any offense.