Kenneth Gainwell needed 1 start with Steelers to show Eagles what they never saw

When Kenneth Gainwell played for the Philadelphia Eagles for the last four years, he was always known as a backup, reliable short-yardage runner.

The Eagles selected Gainwell in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft and already had family connections with Philly as he is the cousin of former star defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. Gainwell played well, running for 1,185 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.

This offseason, Gainwell took his talents to the opposite side of Pennsylvania to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had 55 yards and one touchdown through three games as the backup. With Jaylen Warren out for their Week 4 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin, Gainwell stepped in for his fifth career start. It was one to remember.

Gainwell puts up a career day with the Steelers

The Steelers leaned on Gainwell to carry the load on the ground as he led the team in every rushing category in their 24-21 win over the Vikings. He finished with 19 carries for 99 yards and two touchdowns, while catching six passes for 35 yards.

Gainwell made some key plays in the game, showcasing the power running that Eagles fans had seen, while also demonstrating to the league that he could be the number one back in the running game. That was something he was never able to show with the Eagles.

It was a dominant performance for Gainwell that might have earned him more reps on the field. Watch for him to start splitting carries with Warren the rest of the season.

Too bad the Eagles were not able to see this kind of performance from Gainwell when he played in Philly. At least he is getting his shot to play and show off his skills for everyone to see.