If there’s one player who has continuously bet on himself in the NFL, it’s Rico Dowdle. The seventh-year pro went undrafted and signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020. He spent the first five years of his career with the Cowboys before signing with the Carolina Panthers last year.
Then, he made it certain he’d be ready for his revenge game against Dallas in 2025, and now he’s doing the same for 2026.
Steelers’ RB Rico Dowdle Sends Message to Panthers
Dowdle signed a two-year, $12.25 million contract with the Steelers ahead of the 2026 season, which is the first multi-year deal he’s signed since he came into the league. The 27-year-old running back was on a one-year deal each of the last three seasons, betting on himself to prove his worth each year.
After getting to play in all 16 games with the Cowboys in 2023, Dowdle broke out in 2024 as the Cowboys’ lead back. He rushed for 1,079 yards and two touchdowns, and caught 39 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns.
Then, he signed with the Panthers and had another very successful season, seemingly taking over as the lead back in Carolina. He scored seven total touchdowns and had a career-high 297 receiving yards.
However, Carolina already had running back Chuba Hubbard on the books and let Dowdle walk in free agency. That’s when the Steelers rewarded the seven-year back for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with a contract worth more than he’d made in his career until this point.
And after rushing for 183 yards and adding four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys in his revenge game last year, Dowdle has sent a message to the Panthers ahead of 2026.
Rico Dowdle says that his game against the Panthers this year is ‘definitely circled for sure.’
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) March 13, 2026
“Rico Dowdle says that his game against the Panthers this year is ‘definitely circled for sure,'” Steelers reporter Nick Farabaugh wrote on X.
The Steelers’ 2026 opponents have been revealed, but the dates and times for the games are yet to be determined. The Panthers will travel to Pittsburgh in 2026 for a game you can expect Dowdle to be juiced up for. The Steelers will not face the Cowboys in the 2026 season.
While the Steelers paid Dowdle $12.25 million over two years, he won’t be the Steelers’ sole back.
Jaylen Warren and Dowdle will likely split carries, and Kaleb Johnson will serve as the third option, at this point. However, that’s never stopped Dowdle from proving his worth in the past.
The Steelers running back got off to a slow start in the NFL, but when he’s started games, he’s rushed for at least 1,000 yards each season. He’s proved he can be a force, especially when there’s extra motivation.
