As an undrafted free agent, Rico Dowdle is used to being overlooked. It\u2019s not surprising that he bet on himself in 2025 on a one-year contract with the Carolina Panthers after gaining 1,300 scrimmage yards in 2024. He proved it by gaining 764 scrimmage yards in a five-game stretch while Chuba Hubbard was injured, but his role diminished down the stretch.<\/p>\n
By the sound of it, he looks forward to showing the Panthers why they were wrong to lighten his workload last season. The Steelers will host the Panthers in 2026, a fact Dowdle is well aware of.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is definitely circled,\u201d Dowdle said with a chuckle during his introductory press conference in Pittsburgh<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely circled for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Of course, the dates of the games haven\u2019t been announced yet, so he doesn\u2019t literally have it circled. But there\u2019s a good chance it will be physically circled upon schedule release a few weeks from now.<\/p>\n Dowdle was on a tear before the Panthers started taking touches away from him, which directly hurt his chances of earning more in free agency.<\/p>\n He was asked by Panthers reporters why his role declined at the end of the season. He bluntly said, \u201cNo idea,\u201d per Mike Kaye and Alex Zietlow at The Charlotte Observer<\/a>. He was given no explanation and added, \u201cYou definitely gotta take all of that into account, for sure. It is what it is. I can only control what I can control and go from there. But it definitely plays a factor.\u201d<\/p>\n He lives his life with a chip on his shoulder, and the Steelers should love that.<\/p>\n