PITTSBURGH — Kenneth Gainwell arrived in Pittsburgh with a Hollywood smile and pre-packaged nickname. During his introductory news conference, the first-year Steelers running back was asked if he prefers to be called Kenneth or Kenny.
“It really don’t matter. Kenny. Kenny G,” Gainwell said. “You want to call me Kenny G? You got it baby.”
When the Steelers signed Gainwell to a bargain-bin, one-year deal worth $1.79 million, he appeared to be a depth addition to round out a running back room in transition after the departure of Najee Harris. Gainwell has been that — and much more.
On the ground, he’s tallied 451 yards on 93 carries for a solid 4.7 average, showing a nice feel for zone runs and the necessary explosion to hit a hole. But the rushing yards are only one part of his value. A versatile weapon who can be deployed like a wide receiver or used as a pass catcher out of the backfield to create mismatches in coverage, he also currently leads the Steelers in receptions with 57. A player who may have slid under the radar during the free-agency frenzy is turning into one of the best bargains in football.
“I still cannot believe what we got him for,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after Gainwell put up 126 all-purpose yards in a critical win over the Dolphins. “I told him a long time ago, my goal was to get him paid. I’ve been a fan of his since he was in Philly and thought every time he went in the game, something good happens. Just to be able to play with him and the type of guy he is, I can’t say enough good things about Kenny.”
During Monday’s win over the Dolphins, Gainwell was just one of several under-the-radar players whose performance far exceeded their salary cap hit. As Rodgers sat at a table postgame, dissecting the win from every angle, he highlighted a number of players that he affectionately referred to as “castoffs.”
“There’s some castoffs if you look at our roster, which makes it really special,” Rodgers said. “Kenny Gainwell signed a next-to-nothing contract. Connor Heyward, an afterthought, he had a touchdown run. Marquez (Valdes-Scantling) has been on a couple teams. Adam Thielen got cut. (Asante) Samuel (Jr.) was on the street for a long time. It says a lot of the character of the guys that we brought in.”
Before we get into how these players have changed the Steelers’ depth charts and their fortunes, let’s look back at where it started. The Steelers’ offseason approach to roster building was far from perfect. At receiver, the team believed Roman Wilson would take a significant step forward in Year 2 to solidify that position group and overcome the loss of George Pickens. At cornerback, they initially felt veteran Darius Slay would be part of a transformation in the secondary that would allow the Steelers to play man coverage against any team in the league.
It simply didn’t happen.
Wilson has caught just 12 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns; while he’s shown some growth in areas, it wasn’t enough to answer ongoing questions about the depth at the position. Meanwhile, Slay looked more like a 34-year-old player in his final season than a six-time Pro Bowl defender. He slid down the depth chart and eventually was released.
While those two examples show the Steelers’ talent evaluation and player development has its blind spots, the way the team pivoted to address weak points of its roster has been a significant reason the Steelers have reclaimed the lead in the division and paved a more realistic path to the playoffs.
“There’s a fine line between being a Pro Bowler and a backup in this business,” coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday. “I just see it through that lens. These guys are at the tip top of the food chain in terms of what they do, and usually one man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity.
“There’s an attrition element to our game. That’s why we take everyone’s readiness very seriously, because we have to call on that again. Moving forward, everyone does. It’s important that you fortify your depth with capable people.”
Recognizing a need at receiver, the Steelers went to work remodeling that group on the fly. They signed Valdes-Scantling to the practice squad, where he toiled for several weeks as he got up to speed. Later, they claimed Thielen off waivers.
Those moves have been meaningful in two of the most important games of the season. After the Steelers beat Baltimore two weeks ago to take control of the AFC North, Rodgers said he doesn’t believe in coincidences. It was also the first game of the year that Thielen and Valdes-Scantling were active. Rodgers credited their professional approach for a more fluid product on offense.
That new-look receiving corps took another leap on Monday, when Valdes-Scantling caught his first touchdown as a Steeler to help open up a two-score lead early in the second half. Meanwhile, Thielen’s willingness as a blocker contributed to an improved effort on the ground. The Steelers put their faith in Rodgers when they waited him out during an extended courtship process. Now, they’re doing their best to surround the 42-year-old quarterback with veteran receivers who make him feel comfortable and confident.
“Obviously me and Aaron have played together for a long time,” Valdes-Scantling said. “Obviously, he’s been a quarterback I’ve been with for half my career. We had a pretty good connection over those four years (in Green Bay). It was great to get back in the end zone and catch one from him.”
In a similar way, the Steelers were comfortable moving on from Slay, in part, because of the midseason addition of Samuel. The 26-year-old defensive back underwent spinal fusion surgery this offseason and remained unsigned well into the regular season as he continued to recover. For most of 2025, he spent game days watching from the couch.
“I was definitely tuned into football, every team because I didn’t know where I was going at one point in time,” Samuel said on Monday night. “I was tuned into everything. I love football. I was just watching football. I was waiting for Thursday, Sundays, Mondays. Now I’m here. I’m just blessed to be here.”
With James Pierre sidelined due to a calf injury, Samuel earned his first start as a Steeler against Miami. On the Dolphins’ second possession, he made his impact felt when he intercepted Tua Tagovailoa.
“Just got to keep building,” Samuel said. “I know what type of player I am. I just got to get back to it.”
The castoffs — or unsung contributors, if you prefer that term — go beyond those additions. Rotational players such as outside linebackers Nick Herbig and Jack Sawyer played starter-like reps due to T.J. Watt’s absence. Dylan Cook, the fourth left tackle on the depth chart at one point, allowed zero pressures on 28 drop-backs.
Safety Kyle Dugger has helped solidify the back end of the defense after he was acquired in a low-cost trade-deadline move. Fellow safety and former Patriot Jabrill Peppers has stepped into a starting role at times this year. The list goes on.
“I think your ability to adapt and adjust and pivot, often defines a collective,” Tomlin said. “Certainly, we’ve had some opportunities to do so, and have had some success at times. We’d better keep digging, because I just been on enough of these journeys. I know it’s a component of it.”