Monday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers had no problem dismantling the Miami Dolphins en route to a much-needed, second-straight win. The final score of 28-15 was far from indicative of the beatdown Pittsburgh laid on Miami. It was convincing.
One of the bigger reasons why the Steelers were so dominant was thanks to the play of running back Kenneth Gainwell, who received some major praise from his quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, after the game.
“I love playing with him. He’s as smart as they come. I still cannot believe what we got him for. I told him a long time ago my goal was to get him paid," Rodgers told reporters following the win.
On the night, Gainwell carried the rock 13 times for a total of 80 yards while catching all seven of his targets for 46 yards. It was an ultra-efficient night for the former Philadelphia Eagles back.
Aaron Rodgers had one goal in mind for Kenneth Gainwell, and it looks like Omar Khan will have to pay up
"I told him a long time ago, my goal was to get him paid," Rodgers went on. "I've been a fan of his since he was in Philly. I thought every time he went in the game, something good happens ... I can't say enough good things about Kenny. Every single game it seems like he comes up with impactful plays."
If Rodgers' goal was to get Gainwell paid, he's done a great job. On the season, Gainwell is averaging a healthy 4.8 yards per carry (93 carries for 451 yards). He has also added a career-high 57 receptions for 332 yards while scoring a combined six touchdowns. Gainwell has been lightning in a bottle at times, truly giving this offense a lift.
Meanwhile, it isn't that Jaylen Warren hasn't been effective. He's had a fine season, totaling 685 yards on the ground and 292 yards receiving. But the Steelers did just give Warren a two-year extension last offseason.
Now, the interesting aspect of the deal is that Pittsburgh can cut him after this season and save about $4 million in the process. That's not to say they should do it, but it's worth mentioning. Warren's cap hit is just over $7 million for 2026 and 2027.
Meanwhile, Gainwell could get himself a similar deal in terms of annual average value, if not a little more, if he finishes the year strong. Would the Steelers entertain paying both of them?
It's a good question, especially considering rookie Kaleb Johnson seems to be a total afterthought.
The running back room is definitely an interesting topic for the offseason, though. That's for sure.