“Radically Underpaid”
March 10th, 2026
New Bucs running back Kenneth Gainwell, known in Pittsburgh as “Kenny G.”
Joe loves hearing quality whining on out-of-town sports radio about a player lost to the Bucs.
Joe really likes the Bucs signing of running back Kenneth Gainwell, aka Kenny G, the guy who won the Steelers’ in-house vote for 2025 team MVP.
Gainwell covers kicks, returns kicks, runs well and caught 73 balls last season, including some at slot receiver.
Consider what Aaron Rodgers said about Gainwell early last season.
“I thought Kenny G, obviously, Kenny Gainwell, if you’re a football fan, you know who he is and you’ve followed his career,” Rodgers said. “It seemed like every time he went into the game, for me, as a football fan, with Philly, it was like, ‘Man, this guy’s really good. He should get more touches.’ So, when I came here, I knew what kind of player he was. I tell him all the time, he is an absolute baller, any opportunity he gets man, Kenny’s been great all year. He’s making himself a lot of money.”
Rodgers’ words proved prophetic. Gainwell got a fat raise in the form of a two-year, $14 million contract from the Bucs.
Joe listened to The Pomp And Joe Show on Pittsburgh sports radio yesterday where the hosts were calling Gainwell “radically underpaid” with the Steelers and agreeing that they would have paid him more than the Bucs did to stay in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers “Team MVP” vote is taken very seriously. The tradition dates back to 1969 and the list of winners reads like an NFL history book.
T.J. Watt is a five-time winner. Here’s what he told the team website about Gainwell winning last year.
“It’s not a vote that any of us take lightly,” said linebacker T.J. Watt, a five-time team MVP. “It’s a huge honor. Kenny G, he’s made so many plays in the run and pass.
“Great teammate as well. He works hard. Can’t say enough great things about him as a player and as a teammate. So, I’m just excited for him.”
Rodgers also has talked about Gainwell’s tremendous football intelligence and versatility.
Did the Bucs get an upgrade from Rachaad White? Considering all that Gainwell can do well, and his 10 games of postseason experience, Joe thinks that’s very likely.
March 10th, 2026 at 8:42 am
Being a PA resident myself, many family and friends (knowing I’m the odd Buc fan of the family) reached out to congratulate “me” for the Bucs getting Kenny G.
That’s gotta make you feel somewhat good on some level…
March 10th, 2026 at 8:45 am
“Did the Bucs get an upgrade from Rachaad White?”
YES!
Now with the offense pretty much set for 2026 the Bucs can focus on defense.
March 10th, 2026 at 8:52 am
Looks like our new Special Teams Coordinator is paying dividends already.
March 10th, 2026 at 9:03 am
>>> Kenny G <<<
So Gainwell plays lame, maudlin music on his saxophone so that in December when the Bucs have four wins and Chris Braswell is shocking fans with two sacks that his music ability will help calm fans and maybe help scale back people from throwing Miller Lites on the field?
March 10th, 2026 at 9:06 am
Is it throwing Miller Lites or Jason Lichts on the field?
March 10th, 2026 at 9:08 am
Are the Steelers in cap trouble? Why did they let another team sign him?
March 10th, 2026 at 9:11 am
That organization has really gone off the rails since Dan Rooney died.
March 10th, 2026 at 9:24 am
VERY good get!
March 10th, 2026 at 9:27 am
Upgrade? Yes. So, let’s make sure he sits on the bench. Don’t want to rock anyone’s ego.
March 10th, 2026 at 10:02 am
Some of these moves Scream Mike Tomlin is coming here after Bowles gets fired when this season is done.
March 10th, 2026 at 10:11 am
He seems to have a better attitude than White and probably won’t go posting cryptic messages on social media. Gainwell teammates seem to love him.
March 10th, 2026 at 10:13 am
I like Kenny G, but I still can’t see a huge difference between him (5’9″ & 200 lbs) & Bucky (5’10” & 195 lbs). The 2 have very similar rushing results: Bucky has a 4.5 YPC average over 2 years; Gainwell has a 4.7 YPC average over 5 years. They’re both good catching out of the backfield (Bucky has a 88.5% catch rate over 2 years; Gainwell has a 78.5% catch rate over 5 years; but it was 85.9% last season with the Steelers, highest of his career).
I think we still need to add a bigger back for use in short yardage situations and near the goal line. Personal preference is AJ Dillon (6′ & 247 lbs) who played 4 yrs with the Packers & last year with the Eagles. Philly hardly used him at all last year (7 games, 50 offensive snaps) but he’s got a 4.1 YPC rushing average. They only paid him $1.3 mil for the 1 year & he’s now a UFA.
March 10th, 2026 at 10:18 am
this is def a feel good article right about now…liking this as a bucs lifer rn…
day 1 was rough af…
let the good time roll…………moving forward……….go bucs!
March 10th, 2026 at 10:24 am
Joe, great point on the Steelers, any team that would hire Arthur Smith as OC after what he did to the Falcons is indeed a franchise which has gone off the rails.
March 10th, 2026 at 10:25 am
Mike Tomlin will be our coach next year.
March 10th, 2026 at 10:45 am
Mike Tomlin has stated multiple times that he is done with coaching
March 10th, 2026 at 10:46 am
Scott, there was nothing cryptic about Rachaad saying that head coach Todd Bowles should stop calling defensive plays and focus solely on being the head coach. Couple that with the fact that Bowles actually admitted to being involved with the offense down the stretch as he did not trust Griz and I think Rachaad is about the only guy associated with the Bucs who actually told the honest truth about what it was like after the Bye for the team. White gave an honest opinion, I wonder how many of his teammates feel the same way but did not say anything out of fear of retribution. Good luck Rachaad.
March 10th, 2026 at 10:48 am
When you say Tomlin will be here next year…I’d say let’s see what kind of defenders they draft.
March 10th, 2026 at 11:19 am
When the five-time winner of an award tells me it’s really prestigious, I tend to be a little skeptical.
March 10th, 2026 at 11:41 am
Just wait until he experiences a couple months of expert Buccaneers coaching. He’ll remind us of Kregg Lumpkin in no time.
March 10th, 2026 at 12:17 pm
So ask yourself, why didnt Pitt keep him?
He makes 6 mil more per year than Bucky.
Kenny G is not a complete back.
Is he starting? Seems like a confused backfield.
Was this a dY one FA need?
Dude has 1700 rushing yards in 5 seasons. 500 last year.
Hes 5’9 200 lbs.
Thats lots of money for a ST player, PT scat back, who is in every draft.
And…. so long to Tuck who earned a bigger role. Tuck would have been 4 mil a year cheaper.
I dont see how he makes better.