Running back Rico Dowdle signed a 2-year, $12.25 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he’s taking some shots at his former Carolina Panthers head coach, Dave Canales.
Dowdle went on social media and dropped some tidbits.
Steelers RB Rico Dowdle Takes Shots at Panthers HC Dave Canales
Dowdle, who played for the Dallas Cowboys before spending one season with the Panthers, posted three different comments on X.
In his first one, Dowdle reposted a clip of him talking while wearing a microphone along the Panthers’ sidelines in a 2025 game.
Josh Norris, director of content and fantasy lead for Underdog, posted the following on X on Nov. 19, 2025: “Rico Dowdle called his own shot on the 28 yard screen that led to the Panthers go ahead touchdown in Week 11 … ‘if we get the 1st down, can you go ___? It’s there, I promise you.'”
In reposting this, Dowdle wrote on X, “Last time I had any type of input … omm”.
Last time I had any type of input 😂 omm https://t.co/ANSMwv9qOz
— Rico Dowdle (@ricodowdle) March 13, 2026
In another post, Dowdle reposted what Endzone Panthers, a UK-based account that covers the Panthers and Missouri Tigers, put up on X: “Ngl, I think Dowdle has a serious attitude issue. ‘Circling’ the game against us on his calendar, like we didn’t just save your career bro and allow you to get paid. We literally did everything for you. See you next season, Rico”.
Dowdle’s short response to what this account wrote? “Never in my life!”
Never in my life! https://t.co/MhQ4ybrdrX
— Rico Dowdle (@ricodowdle) March 13, 2026
Finally, Dowdle replied to a post from the Karisma THE Supreme account, a self-described Ramblin Rabbit stan on X, who wrote the following alongside a picture of WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque: “Shoulda been circling them run gaps down the stretch buckaroo @ricodowdle”.
To that comment, Dowdle wrote on X: “Get hard when you run the same thing 75/100 times.”
Get hard when you run the same thing 75/100 times. 🫠🤫 https://t.co/s7RhOoh7UY
— Rico Dowdle (@ricodowdle) March 13, 2026
According to Spotrac, which keeps track of athletes’ contract details, “Rico Dowdle signed a 2-year, $12,250,000 contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, including an average annual salary of $6,125,000.”
Dowdle spent his first five seasons with the Cowboys (2020-2024) and just one season with the Panthers.
In the 2025 NFL regular season, Dowdle played in 17 games and started 11 for Canales. He had 236 carries for 1,076 yards and 6 touchdowns.
According to the PFSN NFL RB Impact metrics, measured through the regular season, Dowdle had an impact score of 71.2 and graded out to a C-.
Now Dowdle will be playing at running back for his former Cowboys coach, Mike McCarthy, who took over in Pittsburgh for Mike Tomlin.
