Running back Rico Dowdle has joined the Pittsburgh Steelers on a two-year contract after stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers. The undrafted free agent revealed his new jersey number as 13 and expressed excitement about contributing late in games. Dowdle also anticipates a motivated performance against his former team, the Panthers, in 2026.
The Pittsburgh Steelers bolstered their running back room by signing Rico Dowdle via free agency on March 13, 2026. Dowdle, who previously wore numbers 34 and 23 with the Dallas Cowboys and number 5 with the Carolina Panthers in 2025, selected number 13 for his new team. This number has been worn 13 times in Steelers history, most recently by wide receiver Scotty Miller in 2024 and 2025, with James Washington achieving the most success in it.
Dowdle amassed over 1,300 scrimmage yards in 2024 with the Cowboys before signing a one-year deal with the Panthers. In 2025, he gained 764 scrimmage yards over a five-game stretch while Chuba Hubbard was injured, but his role diminished later in the season. When asked about the decline, Dowdle told reporters, “No idea,” adding, “You definitely gotta take all of that into account, for sure. It is what it is. I can only control what I can control and go from there. But it definitely plays a factor.”
The Steelers will host the Panthers in 2026, a matchup Dowdle called “definitely circled” during his introductory press conference. He previously had a strong revenge game against the Cowboys, rushing for 183 yards on 30 carries and catching four passes for 56 yards in Week 6 of the prior season.
Dowdle believes he performs best late in games, stating, “As the game goes on, I definitely think I get stronger and get a feel for the defense... That’s when you get your explosives.” His 2025 stats support this: 4.7 yards per carry in the second half versus 4.5 in the first half, and 5.1 yards per carry on fourth-quarter runs when within seven points. He will share duties with Jaylen Warren, who averaged six yards per carry in the fourth quarter last year. Both backs exceeded 1,000 scrimmage yards in 2025.