The Pittsburgh Steelers announced on Mar. 14 the signing of running back Rico Dowdle to a two-year contract.
Dowdle, entering his seventh season in the National Football League, played for the Carolina Panthers in 2025 after five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by Dallas in 2020. Over his career, Dowdle has appeared in 69 games with 26 starts, recording 567 carries for 2,540 yards and ten touchdowns. He also has made 95 receptions for 690 yards and six receiving touchdowns.
In each of the last two seasons, Dowdle surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark—posting 1,076 yards in 2025 and a career-high of 1,079 yards in 2024. During the previous season with Carolina, he started eleven games and contributed six rushing touchdowns along with nearly three hundred receiving yards. Notably, he had standout performances against Miami and Dallas, including a single-game high of thirty carries for one hundred eighty-three yards against his former team.
Dowdle’s journey from undrafted rookie to productive NFL starter places him among only nineteen undrafted players to achieve a thousand-yard rushing season. His college career at South Carolina included over two thousand rushing yards and sixteen touchdowns across thirty-nine games.
The Steelers are recognized as a member franchise of the National Football League according to their official website. The organization has achieved notable success with six Super Bowl championships according to their official website and honors figures such as Terry Bradshaw and Joe Greene through its Hall of Honor as listed on their official website. The team also contributes to community engagement through historical celebrations and fan experiences as outlined on their official website, including displays at the Hall of Honor Museum at Acrisure Stadium according to their official website.
With this signing, Dowdle joins an organization that has earned recognition through multiple Super Bowl wins and inductions into its Hall of Honor as per their official website. Observers will watch how Dowdle’s experience adds depth to the Steelers’ roster ahead of the upcoming season.
