While everyone waited for quarterback news, the Pittsburgh Steelers quietly agreed to terms with former Philadelphia Eagles RB Kenneth Gainwell Tuesday evening. Gainwell is fresh off a Super Bowl win with the Eagles. But just who is the Steelers’ newest running back?
Not Only Family Member In The NFL
Gainwell wasn’t the first member of his extended family to make it to the NFL. But he did get the opportunity to play with a cousin in Philadelphia, former Eagles DT Fletcher Cox. Gainwell was asked at his introductory press conference/Zoom call if Cox had reached out to him. Cox hadn’t at that point, but Gainwell said, “We’re excited about it” regarding the opportunity to play together.
And when Gainwell sat down with Eagles insider Dave Spadaro for an interview after the draft, he opened up more about his cousin and his status in their hometown.
“Fletch is a legend,” said Gainwell. “Everybody love Fletcher Cox. He’s the guy when it comes to Yazoo County and Yazoo City. He’s the guy. I love my cousin. I love him for giving me all the input I need to know.”
Eye-Popping High School Numbers
Gainwell was a dual-threat on offense for Yazoo County High School. He started three years at quarterback. He passed for 3,682 yards and 32 passing touchdowns, ran for 4,730 yards and 75 rushing touchdowns, and also chipped in 142 kick return yards and a return touchdown. He capped off his high school career by passing for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior while rushing for 1,834 yards and 32 touchdowns.
That performance earned Gainwell the Mississippi Association of Coaches Class 3A Player of the Year nod as well as a berth in the 2017 Mississippi/Alabama High School All-Star Classic. He was named Co-MVP of that game after rushing for 56 yards and three touchdowns.
Former College Teammates Together Again
Gainwell went to the University of Memphis, where he played alongside Steelers WR Calvin Austin III. Both men enrolled at Memphis in 2018. Gainwell opted out of the 2020 college season due to the pandemic and ended up declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft while Austin stayed in Memphis.
Gainwell had a dominant 2019 season for the Tigers, carrying the ball 231 times for 1,459 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also caught 51 passes for 610 yards and another three touchdowns. That total yardage led all FBS freshmen in 2019.
Family Over Everything
Gainwell opted out of playing for Memphis during the 2020 college season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The global pandemic affected everyone’s lives to one degree or another. But Gainwell experienced personal tragedy. He shared more about what happened to his family and why he made his decision, regardless of how teams viewed his choice, during that one-on-one interview with Spadaro.
“I had three family members that passed away due to COVID,” Gainwell said. “I mean, it was a hard time, just going back, talking with my family and just trying to get my head clear with everything… I had to kind of clear my head because my uncle was the king of the family. So I had to clear my head a lot, take a step back, you know family do come first.”
So Gainwell did just that. He stepped back from football to prioritize family. And even though he knew it could impact how NFL teams viewed him, family came first.
Can Out-Squat Saquon Barkley
Gainwell’s fellow running back in 2024, Saquon Barkley, is arguably the best running back in the NFL right now. While Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry may have earned the nickname King Henry over the years, Barkley dominated in his first year with the Eagles. A big part of that is his leg strength. But according to Barkley, he was blown away by Gainwell’s strength and explosiveness in the weight room.
When the Eagles took to using the Keiser squat machine during training camp, it wasn’t Saquon Barkley or even Eagles QB Jalen Hurts who had the most reps at 555 pounds. It was Kenneth Gainwell with five reps.
“A lot of people don’t know that he’s super strong,” said Barkley in an interview with Eagles reporter Jeff McClane for his unCovering The Birds podcast. “He’s super powerful. Keiser squats isn’t about how heavy the squat is. It’s about how powerful and explosive you are, and it shows your explosiveness. He’s super explosive, something I didn’t know coming here.”
