Steelers Sign RB Rico Dowdle to 2-Year $12.25M Deal

The Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to terms on a two-year contract worth $12.25 million with running back Rico Dowdle, bolstering their backfield just hours after losing Kenneth Gainwell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The deal, first reported by sources familiar with the negotiations, cannot be officially signed until the NFL league year begins on Wednesday.

Dowdle, a 27-year-old veteran who entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020, brings a proven track record of production to Pittsburgh. He rushed for 1,076 yards and six touchdowns in 11 starts during his lone season with the Carolina Panthers in 2025, helping the team reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017. That performance followed a breakout year in 2024 with the Cowboys, where he surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career. Over his first five NFL seasons, primarily with Dallas, Dowdle accumulated 1,464 rushing yards and four touchdowns, along with 56 receptions for 393 yards. A preseason hip injury sidelined him for the entire 2021 season, but he has since emerged as a reliable, physical runner known for his downhill style, contact balance and efficiency in...