The Pittsburgh Steelers fan base has been used to consistency over the past two decades. The organization hasn't had a losing season since 2003, and they just had to hire a head coach over the offseason for the first time since 2007.
The Steelers might be 1-1 to start the year, but if you asked anyone in Pittsburgh, the feeling is more like a 0-2 start. That's because a win over the pitiful Falcons in Week 1, led by Cooper Rush, doesn't really feel like a win, especially with the offense struggling mightily in that game. The defensive efforts allowed the Steelers to win that showdown with Atlanta.
In Week 2 against a much better opponent, we saw the Steelers' true colors. New England's defense roughed up Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh's battered offensive line, and it was not a pretty sight. The Steelers got blown out and now, as mentioned before, are 1-1 after two games.
The NFL regular season is obviously a marathon and not a sprint, but with the problems the Steelers have, it's beginning to feel like this is going to be one painful marathon. It's obvious that Pittsburgh has problems on its o-line, and that is hurting the run game. When an offense can't run the ball, that puts even more pressure on the quarterback to make plays, and while Aaron Rodgers was once great at doing that, he's not that guy anymore. He needs a run game to help take the weight off his shoulders.
Unfortunately, these are problems that the Steelers needed to fix during the offseason because doing so at this stage is going to be nearly impossible. There aren't great offensive linemen waiting around this time of the year. That means the offensive slog we've witnessed in the Steelers' first two games will most likely be a trend throughout the 2026 season.
Pittsburgh Steelers fans need to accept harsh new reality
Louis Riddick confirmed that it could be a rough journey for the Steelers this year. During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show on Monday, Riddick was asked which team had the worst loss on Sunday and he picked Pittsburgh.
"Probably Pittsburgh... Pittsburgh looks like they could be in trouble trouble," Riddick said. "One, they can't run the football with any kind of effectiveness to keep the pressure off of [Rodgers]. And the passing game is just so wildly inconsistent... Where's the development going to come from for them? Where is it? Where's the hope going to come from? ... I really do think that [the loss to the Patriots] could have been a sign of what's to come for this football team down the road."
Oof. That might be painful to hear, but Riddick has a point. These first two weeks might truly be foreshadowing how the rest of this season is going to go for the Pittsburgh Steelers. If that's the case, it's not going to be pretty.
Louis Riddick paints an unflattering picture for Steelers fans
But I know what you're all thinking. "This is a franchise that always finishes at or above .500! They'll get things straightened out for sure!" Maybe in the old days, but the Steelers made a coaching change in the offseason, moving on from Mike Tomlin and hiring Mike McCarthy to take over as head coach. That's something Riddick touched on as well.
"You always really associate Pittsburgh with a team that's going to figure things out as it goes along. At least you did when Mike [Tomlin] was there and everyone says, 'Oh, it's just Week 1. Let's everybody relax. We'll figure things out. You know, it's just extended training camp.'... That's a big time sign."
In other words, these aren't the same Steelers we've grown accustomed to in recent years. A non-losing season feels like a pipe dream at this point, even with just two games in the books.
Maybe that's for the best, though. If the Steelers finish near the bottom of the standings, that will put them toward the top of the draft, something they haven't had the luxury of in a long time. That could allow them to land one of the coveted quarterback prospects in the 2027 draft. And, as we know, that might be all they need to land on their feet again.
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