The Chiefs' fan base is waiting to see what Kansas City does at running back this offseason. Getting more consistency and explosiveness from that spot was already an emphasis once the regular season ended. But then, the Chiefs brought back Eric Bieniemy for another stint as their offensive coordinator. That could very well alter any initial ideas or thoughts the team may have had when addressing the running back position.
Bieniemy's history with Kareem Hunt is something to keep in mind. And during Isiah Pacheco's rookie season, Bieniemy was still in Kansas City. There is familiarity between the new/old offensive coordinator and those pending free-agent running backs. However, neither of those players are true dual-threat pieces.
There are some free-agent running back options out there that could be just as effective as pass-catchers as they are running the ball. That should be music to the ears of Chiefs coaches and decision-makers. Because if you look at some of the more successful and dependable options at running back in the Patrick Mahomes era, they were always trustworthy threats in the passing game.
In this year's free-agent class, there is one running back option that dominated as a pass catcher in 2025. That would be Kenneth Gainwell. Could he be a perfect option worth signing for Kansas City?
Why Kenneth Gainwell fits what Kansas City has been missing
Gainwell signed for just one year, $1.79 million last offseason with the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was not just a great return on investment on such a cheap deal for the Steelers. Arguably, Gainwell performed as Pittsburgh's offensive MVP in 2025.
He ended up tallying 537 rushing yards, 4.7 yards per carry, 486 receiving yards, and eight total touchdowns. All of those numbers were career highs for a single season. He had been a serviceable secondary option for the Philadelphia Eagles in his four prior seasons. However, Gainwell simply took a fresh, larger opportunity and ran with it glowingly.
It is also notable how much Aaron Rodgers talked about Gainwell's importance as the season wound down. One would have to think that Mahomes could feel the same way if he got the opportunity to play with him.
Even with that productive year, past Steelers beliefs may make his Pittsburgh run a one-and-done. Based on how Pittsburgh has handled the running back position, it is not expected that Gainwell returns to the Steelers, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. Maybe that could change with an incoming head coach. We all know that Pittsburgh has operated in a routine fashion for all these years, though.
Revisiting the Jerick McKinnon role in the Chiefs offense
It is one thing to be a dual-threat option at the running back position. It is another thing to do so while actually changing the math for how defenses have to defend. Gainwell fits that latter category based on what we saw in 2025. As a pass catcher, he is capable of lining up in multiple spots. he can run a varied amount of route concepts. Believe it or not, it was Gainwell who led the entire Steelers offense in receptions last year.
But even as a runner, he is just as dangerous running to the outside as he is in between the tackles. You would have plenty of options to tap into as a play caller when getting Gainwell touches.
Some different play styles and characteristics sound appealing for the Chiefs when making running back additions this year. In the last two Kansas City Super Bowl runs, they had a specific style at that spot that generally churned out successful plays. It was the Jerick McKinnon role.
McKinnon was effective as an underneath checkdown option in the passing game. He was still able to hold his own on true routes as well. It made the screen pass game and RPO game actually believable for the Chiefs offense at the time. And even as a runner, he was able to rely on both patience and quickness. Picking his poison as a runner made him challenging to chase down and tackle.
Gainwell showed some similarities to McKinnon as a runner in Pittsburgh. Many missed tackle attempts by the opposition, or broken tackles, helped keep drives alive for the Steelers. As a limited offense, they probably miss the playoffs without him in 2025.
Bieniemy worked with McKinnon during his previous run in K.C. He understands what type of depth running back this team would need in order to improve. And like McKinnon, Gainwell is still not projected to land a huge contract this offseason. It will be a raise coming his way. Nonetheless, Spotrac only predicts him to earn roughly $3 million per season on his next deal. That number, mixed in with his abilities, almost makes too much sense for the Chiefs to look into landing Gainwell.