After a whirlwind few weeks of draft picks, trades, and roster speculation, the long-awaited 2025 NFL schedule has officially been released. For Pittsburgh Steelers fans, this is the next major moment of the offseason — a chance to start dreaming, debating, and breaking down every matchup from the first week to the final game of the regular season.
It has been an up-and-down offseason in Pittsburgh, with moments of excitement and a few lingering questions. But now, with the full list of opponents and game dates in front of us, we finally have a clearer view of the road ahead.
In classic schedule release tradition, here are the early game-by-game predictions for the Steelers in the 2025 season
Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 record prediction
Week 1: Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York Jets: 1PM
Who knows if or when Aaron Rodgers will sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but for the sake of this exercise, and because it seems more likely he will join the team than retire, this Week 1 game already has all the storylines.
Pittsburgh opens the season on the road against their former quarterback, Justin Fields, who will be making his first career start as a New York Jet. It will also be the coaching debut for new head coach Aaron Glenn.
On the other side, if Rodgers suits up for the Steelers, it will be a homecoming of sorts as he returns to face the Jets, where his two years were nothing short of a disaster. The Steelers will be ready to go in Week One and will take care of business. They know Justin Fields well, and he is likely to struggle against this Steelers defense.
Steelers record: 1-0
Week 2: Seattle Seahawks @ Pittsburgh Steelers: 1PM
The Steelers will host the Seattle Seahawks in their Week 2 home opener. Seattle will make the long trip across the country to face Pittsburgh in a 1 PM kickoff.
This game is another homecoming, as DK Metcalf returns to face the team that drafted him. However, the Seahawks are a new-look team with Sam Darnold at quarterback and an updated offense that could struggle in the hostile environment of Pittsburgh’s home opener. The Steelers are poised to earn their second straight win as this revamped Seattle team tries to find its footing early in the 2025 season.
Steelers record: 2-0
Week 3: Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots: 1PM
The Steelers travel to New England to face an organization that has long dominated them. With new head coach Mike Vrabel and a rebuilding Patriots team, the franchise has taken positive steps toward a turnaround. However, it remains a young squad that still needs significant development and is likely a year or two away from becoming a solid team.
Mike Tomlin has consistently had success against Mike Vrabel, and that trend should continue as the Steelers finally overcome their usual struggles against the Patriots. For now, the Steelers’ winning streak against New England lives on.
Steelers record: 3-0
Week 4: Minnesota Vikings @ Pittsburgh Steelers: 9:30AM
Pittsburgh heads across the pond to face the Vikings in the first-ever NFL regular season game played in Ireland. JJ McCarthy will be the starting quarterback for Minnesota after missing all of last season with a knee injury.
While he is still early in his development, he steps into a system perfectly built to help him succeed. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell will have the offense running efficiently.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores is another key storyline. After spending a season with the Steelers, he knows Mike Tomlin and the system well. His aggressive and unpredictable defense is designed to create chaos, which could cause serious problems for a Steelers offense still lacking playmakers. The Vikings take advantage on both sides of the ball and come away with the win.
Steelers record: 3-1
Week 5: Bye
Week 6: Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers: 1PM
After returning from Ireland and coming off their bye week, the Steelers will host the Browns in their first AFC North matchup of the season. The big question for Cleveland remains at quarterback, and there is a real possibility that former Steelers QB Kenny Pickett could be under center.
If so, this would mark his first return to Pittsburgh since being traded last year—and the hometown crowd will not give him a warm welcome.
The Browns' roster is still a work in progress, and they have plenty of questions to answer on both sides of the ball. Meanwhile, the Steelers have a strong track record coming off the bye, and with extra time to prepare, Mike Tomlin’s squad should be ready to take care of business at home. Pittsburgh gets the job done and starts division play with a win.
Steelers record: 4-1
Week 7: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals: (TNF) 8:15PM
The Steelers head to Cincinnati on a short week following what will likely be a very physical game against the Browns. It is two AFC North matchups in a row, and the quick turnaround does Pittsburgh no favors.
Mike Tomlin has struggled in these situations with just two wins in 10 Thursday night road games, and that pattern is hard to ignore.
With limited time to prepare for a talented Bengals offense, the Steelers are facing an uphill battle. The short week, combined with past struggles in Thursday night road games sets up a tough challenge. Unfortunately, that trend is likely to continue.
Steelers record: 4-2
Week 8: Green Bay Packers @ Pittsburgh Steelers: 8:20 PM
Another primetime game awaits the Steelers as they return home following a mini bye week after their Thursday night matchup. This time, they host the Packers on Sunday night, with Aaron Rodgers facing his former team for the second time this season — but now as the Steelers quarterback.
Green Bay will be a contender in the NFC with a tough and well-rounded team. Despite the home crowd and extra rest, the Steelers come up short once again. Rodgers does not get his revenge this time, and Pittsburgh drops its second straight game, falling into an early-season slide.
Steelers record: 4-3
Week 9: Indianapolis Colts @ Pittsburgh Steelers: 1PM
The Steelers put an end to their recent struggles against the Colts with a home win, snapping their two-game losing streak. The Colts face uncertainty at quarterback, making it difficult to see Pittsburgh dropping a third straight game.
Steelers record: 5-3
Week 10: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Los Angeles Chargers: 8:20 PM
The Steelers head to the West Coast for another Sunday night showdown, this time against the Chargers. Former first-round pick Najee Harris, now a Charger, will have this game circled on his calendar as he aims to make the Steelers pay for letting him walk in free agency and passing on his fifth-year option.
Under Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers transformed in just one year and have only gotten stronger with a productive offseason. Expect a physical battle, but the Steelers will come up short and return home without a win.
Steelers record: 5-4
Week 11: Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers: 1PM
In the second meeting of the season, the Steelers put together a much stronger performance against the Bengals' offense. While Cincinnati will be coming off a bye week, it is hard to see the Steelers getting swept by their division rivals.
Steelers record: 6-4
Week 12: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Chicago Bears: 1PM
The Steelers hit the road again, heading to Chicago to witness the new era of the Bears under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. The Bears went all in this offseason, doing everything they could to build around Caleb Williams. With Johnson’s dynamic and hard-to-prepare-for offense, this game will be a tough challenge for the Steelers.
But if there’s one thing we know, it’s that Aaron Rodgers is still the king of Chicago. Expect to see a glimpse of his old magic as he looks to terrorize the Windy City one last time.
Steelers record: 7-4
Week 13: Buffalo Bills @ Pittsburgh Steelers: 4:25 PM
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills come to Pittsburgh, continuing a matchup that has given the Steelers trouble for years. Coming off a near Super Bowl appearance last season, the Bills are among the favorites to make it to February’s big game once again. The Steelers will struggle to contain Josh Allen, and it will be more of the same story we’ve seen time and again against Buffalo.
Steelers record: 7-5
Week 14: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens: 1PM
The Steelers will still have a bitter taste from the blowout loss to the Ravens in the wild-card game, where Baltimore rushed for an incredible 299 yards. Playing in Baltimore is always a tough challenge, and despite Pittsburgh’s efforts to improve their run defense since that playoff loss, it’s hard to see them stopping the Ravens this time around either.
Steelers record: 7-6
Week 15: Miami Dolphins @ Pittsburgh Steelers: 8:15 PM
Will we witness another December collapse from the Steelers, the kind we have grown all too familiar with over the years? It is hard to say, but Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins have a history of struggling in cold-weather games.
With this Monday night matchup taking place in Pittsburgh in mid December the weather could play a major role. Expect the Steelers to pull away as Tua continues to struggle outside of his usual warm weather comfort zone.
Steelers record: 8-6
Week 16: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Detroit Lions: 4:25 PM
The Lions lost both of their coordinators to head coaching jobs, so this team could look quite different in 2025. Still, they remain a very talented squad, and Dan Campbell will no doubt keep them among the best in the NFC. When comparing the two teams, the Lions have the advantage, and the Steelers will come up short in this one.
Steelers record: 8-7
Week 17: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns: 1PM
The Steelers stay on the road for their final matchup of the season against the Browns. By this point, it will likely be a must-win game for Pittsburgh against what should be a struggling Cleveland team. The Steelers take care of business and complete the season sweep of the Browns in 2025.
Steelers record: 9-7
Week 18: Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers: TBD
This matchup with the Ravens could have major playoff implications. Baltimore might be playing for a top seed in the AFC — or, with how competitive the AFC North is, this could end up deciding the division.
It is hard to know how things will shake out, but if I had to guess, the Ravens will have already locked up a playoff spot and could be resting starters. On the flip side, this will likely be a must-win game for the Steelers to either clinch a spot or stay alive in the playoff hunt. Pittsburgh comes through when it matters and finishes the season with a very familiar 10-7 record.