One of the surprise stories of the 2025 season is the breakout of former Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell. The veteran signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason and has quickly become an important weapon in Pittsburgh. Already, Gainwell has a career high of 150 touches while averaging 95.5 per season during his time in Philly. This has added up to 451 rushing yards and 332 receiving yards, both far and away the highest numbers of the rusher's career.
For the Eagles, this is a frustrating reminder of the state of their current run game and the fact that Gainwell had to go elsewhere to enjoy this level of success. It is impossible to argue that this version of the playmaker is showing up in Philly based on the results from Saquon Barkley. While Barkley hasn't been as explosive as expected, the bulk of the blame belongs on the shoulders of a banged-up offense line that simply isn't generating needed chances. No question, if Gainwell had stayed in Philadelphia, we wouldn't be having this conversation.
Not only are there no elite opportunities, but it is clear that Philadelphia overlooked Gainwell's potential value. In fairness, even the Steelers underrated the fit with KDKA TV's Bob Pompeani, pointing out that Gainwell might be the best bargain in all of football on a one-year deal worth only $1.8 million. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler furthered this, talking about the fact that Gainwell has set himself up nicely for 2026 free agency.
Kenneth Gainwell's Breakout Season Points to Obvious Eagles' Failures
It is hard to put any blame for the miss on Gainwell on GM Howie Roseman, who has done an incredible job building out the Philly roster. Frustration should be directed at the Eagles' coaching staff, which is currently repeating the same mistake they made with Gainwell.
Keeping Tank Bigsby on the bench when the fan base badly wants to see more of a rusher averaging 5.8 yards per carry is a more extreme example of this. Bigsby has done everything possible to deserve more touches, and still the Eagles refuse to shy away from Barkley. This speaks to a coaching philosophy based on loyalty to contracts and name recognition rather than who is truly getting the job done.
Perhaps it was this same line of thinking that prevented Gainwell from ever flashing his true potential within the Philly offense. Still, it is easy to be happy for the Super Bowl champ, considering his history with the franchise and the fact that he is far away from Philly, playing in the AFC North.
For the Eagles, this should serve as a lesson in understanding the value of giving each backup playmaker a chance for a larger role. While it isn't always going to play out in your favor, it is far better to confirm failure than part ways with the unknown.