RB Kenneth Gainwell reveals his long-held desire to join the Buccaneers, a move that could have reshaped Tampa Bay's backfield sooner.
Every free agent that signs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will say they're happy to join the team.
But not everyone of them will say they wish they'd done it last season.
Kenneth Gainwell is one free agent who did.
After four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, which climaxed with a Super Bowl win in 2025 in what turned out to be Gainwell's last game with Philly, Gainwell was a free agent.
He revealed to reporters at his introductory press conference with the Bucs on Thursday that he was hoping to sign with Tampa Bay.
“It was a great option for me,” Gainwell said. “I wanted to be here last year, but you know, I am just happy to be here now. It was a great opportunity for me back in the South, where I am from, and just come here.”
Indeed, Gainwell is from the South, growing up in Yazoo City, Mississippi.
He stayed in the South to play college football at Memphis, but his entire pro career had been spent in Pennsylvania.
Gainwell played out his rookie contract with the Eagles, then, after not joining the Bucs, moved out of state.
He did so on a one-year, $1.79 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. QB Aaron Rodgers told reporters that one of his goals was to help Gainwell land a bigger contract for 2026. That goal ended up being achieved.
In short, the Steelers got their team MVP (as voted on by the players) for peanuts.
Gainwell ended the year equally dangerous in the running game (537 yards, five touchdowns, 4.7 yards per carry) and receiving game (486 yards, three touchdowns, 6.7 yards per catch), and as a result, became a much richer man.
The deal Gainwell signed with the Bucs was for $14 million over two seasons, almost seven times what he made over the last offseason.
Gainwell is certainly somebody the Bucs could have used in 2025.
After Bucky Irving's fantastic rookie season (1,122 yards, eight touchdowns, 5.4 yards per carry), the Bucs appeared to be set at the position. But injuries limited Irving to 10 games in 2025, and even when he did play, Irving was far less productive (588 yards, one touchdown, 3.4 yards per carry). Even when Irving did play, he was bothered by a shoulder that required offseason surgery.
Tampa could have used Gainwell last season, and certainly could use him this year.
Even if Irving returns to or exceeds his 2024 form, Tampa would still need Gainwell.
The Bucs lost Racheed White to free agency (Washington Commanders), and although the team eventually brought back Sean Tucker, Tucker doesn't have any experience as a second-stringer.
Gainwell has been an RB2 for his entire pro career and has embraced the role enough to thrive in it.
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