New Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell’s last few months have been quite memorable, to say the least.
After helping the Philadelphia Eagles topple the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX and signing a one-year deal worth $1.79 million with the Steelers in free agency, Gainwell and his fiancée, Jada, also recently got married.
Inside linebacker Payton Wilson and wide receiver Ben Skowronek are among the other members of Pittsburgh’s roster who have tied the knot this offseason, while wide receiver DK Metcalf and edge rusher Julius Welschof have announced their respective engagements.
After posting 2,212 yards from scrimmage to go with 17 touchdowns at Memphis between the 2018 and 2019 campaigns, Gainwell was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Eagles.
As a rookie, he appeared in 16 of the team’s 17 regular season contests. Over that stretch, Gainwell logged 291 yards with five touchdowns on the ground alongside 253 yards through the air. In Philadelphia’s Wild Card round loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that year, he ran for 49 yards and a score on five carries.
As the Eagles went 14-3 and traversed their way through the NFC en route to a Super Bowl berth in 2022, Gainwell rushed for 240 yards and a touchdown while tacking on 169 receiving yards in the regular season before putting up 236 yards from scrimmage in the playoffs.
He then recorded a combined 953 yards and three scores from scrimmage while taking a back seat to D’Andre Swift and Saquon Barkley in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Gainwell now joins Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson in Pittsburgh’s running back room, though the team will almost certainly add another option at the position via the NFL Draft.
The 26-year-old will likely serve as a change-of-pace back within the rotation who garners plenty of snaps on third downs due to his aptitude in pass protection.
