The Pittsburgh Steelers, once again, embarked on an offseason featuring a ton of changes, but it's not really clear if those changes will thrust this team into contention for the 2026 season. Sure, Pittsburgh knows how to win 9-10 games just about every season, but that cannot continue to be the goal.
While this won't help in 2026, the long-term hope should be that one of Will Howard or Drew Allar develops into a franchise passer. In doing so, most of the team's most urgent roster issues would disappear overnight.
But for 2026, it's the Aaron Rodgers show, and our latest Steelers predictions end up forming a season that many people might expect.
Updated Pittsburgh Steelers game-by-game predictions after OTAs and minicamp
Week 1 vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 PM
The Steelers start things off with a home tilt against the Atlanta Falcons, and this could be the perfect time to face them. The Falcons have more sheer roster talent than Pittsburgh, but it could take some time for whoever is playing quarterback to find their groove.
Pittsburgh takes care of business at home and gets off to a 1-0 start.
Prediction: Steelers win (1-0)
Week 2 @ New England Patriots, 1:00 PM
The NFL schedule-makers didn't do the team any favors across the first three weeks, as the Steelers then head to New England to face the defending AFC champions. While the Patriots' schedule was rather easy in 2025, this team isn't a slouch. They got much better in the offseason, notably adding AJ Brown in a trade. Drake Maye was the second-place finisher in the MVP race as well, and the defense even held more than its own.
The Steelers drop this one and fall to 1-1.
Prediction: Steelers lose (1-1)
Week 3 vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 PM
Now back home to host Cincinnati, Pittsburgh shouldn't overlook the Bengals at all. The defense got a massive makeover this offseason, and on paper, the Bengals suddenly sport one of the deepest groups in the NFL. Furthermore, Joe Burrow and the team's offense are flat-out explosive, especially when Burrow stays on the field. Pittsburgh is probably going to drop one of these games, and it would make sense if that loss is away from home. The Steelers barely hang on and improve to 2-1 in this one.
Prediction: Steelers win (2-1)
Week 4 @ Cleveland Browns (Thursday Night Football), 8:15 PM
On a short week, the Steelers are in Cleveland to play the Browns. Another AFC North game is on the docket here in the early part of the season. Fortunately, the Browns' quarterback room appears to be a bottom-3 unit in the entire NFL, perhaps across any position. The Steelers might get into one of those sloppy, AFC North-style dogfights, but there really isn't an excuse to lose this game.
Prediction: Steelers win (3-1)
Week 5 vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 PM
The Steelers beat the Indianapolis Colts by a touchdown last year at Acrisure Stadium. However, the Steelers tend to play down to their opponents sometimes, and this could be one of those classic 'rip your hair out' Steelers games. Pittsburgh getting out to a 3-1 start would feel like a best-case scenario in 2026. Honestly, that could then mean a bad, out-of-nowhere loss is coming, right?
Prediction: Steelers lose (3-2)
Week 6 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:00 PM
Now in Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers and Steelers both sport roughly the same amount of roster talent. I would absolutely give the coaching edge to the Steelers here, as Todd Bowles isn't in the same stratosphere as Mike McCarthy. In yet another 1:00 PM start time, the Steelers take care of business and brush off that Week 5 blunder.
Prediction: Steelers win (4-2)
Week 7 vs. New Orleans Saints (NFL Paris Game), 9:30 AM
Now in Paris for a Week 7 showdown against the New Orleans Saints, the Steelers are going to be in some new territory. I also would not totally shove off the Saints here; they won four of five games to end the season, added a ton of talent on offense this offseason, and had a sneaky-good defense, too.
Quarterback Tyler Shough displayed a frisky style of play as a rookie, and there is every reason to believe that he could make a year two leap. The Steelers get shocked and drop this game, losing on a last-second field goal to fall to 4-3.
Prediction: Steelers lose (4-3)
Week 8 vs. Cleveland Browns, 1:00 PM
Now back at home before the bye in Week 9, the Steelers would likely view this as a must-win game, as getting to 5-3 would definitely help the team buffer their record a bit before a brutal second-half stretch. The Browns might struggle to win three games this year, given how bad the quarterback situation appears to be. Pittsburgh takes care of business and improves to a modest 5-3 before the bye.
Prediction: Steelers win (5-3)
Week 9 BYE
Week 10 @ Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday Night Football), 8:20 PM
As of now, in the games following the bye, Pittsburgh would play just two games in the 1:00 PM time slot, and is set to face five playoff teams from 2025 in their post-bye schedule. The Bengals host the Steelers on Sunday Night Football. Pittsburgh lost to Cincinnati at their house in 2025, and if this turns into a shootout, I just cannot see how the Steelers hang with the Bengals. Cincinnati is likely going to be too much to handle at home.
Prediction: Steelers lose (5-4)
Week 11 @ Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 PM
Ideally, the Steelers avoid a losing streak here, but these next few games are flat-out brutal, and I am not sure how the team would find a clear advantage in any of them. Now in Philadelphia, the Steelers face the Eagles in Week 11. Pittsburgh was in Philly back in 2024 and lost by 14 points. While the quarterback matchup might be rather even, the Eagles' homefield is among the best advantages in the NFL, and the roster is always a handfun. Pittsburgh loses two in a row.
Prediction: Steelers lose (5-5)
Week 12 vs. Denver Broncos (Black Friday Game), 3:00 PM
Yet another game against a tough opponent, the Steelers are at least able to get the Denver Broncos at home. The Broncos won 14 games last year and could have the best roster in the AFC. Without a clear roster flaw, and the Steelers just barely clinging to life here, the team will drop their third in a row and will ride a losing streak where they're simply getting overwhelmed by opposing roster talent.
Prediction: Steelers lose (5-6)
Week 13 vs. Houston Texans (Sunday Night Football), 8:20 PM
In the second-straight primetime game, Pittsburgh gets Houston, and at least this is another home game. Where I do believe Pittsburgh could find an advantage is actually in attacking CJ Stroud, the Texans quarterback. He's been rather average in his past two years in the NFL and could get overwhelmed if the Steelers blitz him enough. With the season potentially close to being on the line, the Steelers get desperate and salvage a victory.
Prediction: Steelers win (6-6)
Week 14 @ Jacksonville Jaguars (Monday Night Football), 8:15 PM
The Steelers snap their losing streak, but have their hands full, yet again, here in Week 14, which would be their third primetime game in a row. Jacksonville won 13 games last year thanks to a savvy first-year head coach in Liam Coen and a stifling defense that excelled at stopping the run. I do expect the Jaguars to regress just a little bit, but I am not sure Pittsburgh is the better team, especially away from home.
Prediction: Steelers win lose (6-7)
Week 15 vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 PM
Pittsburgh can earn a crucial divisional win here late in the season, and at 6-7, there is a chance the Steelers would be alive in the Wild Card race, and there is even a possibility that the division title is still in reach. The Steelers really haven't had many issues beating the Ravens in recent years, and based on history, I would not expect that to change. Pittsburgh wins this one and evens up their record ahead of the final three games.
Prediction: Steelers win (7-7)
Week 16 vs. Carolina Panthers (TBD)
The date and time for this game are currently up in the air, but I don't think it would matter either way. Despite finishing just 8-9 in 2025, the Carolina Panthers won the NFC South. This team doesn't do anything particularly well, and even though quarterback Bryce Young had a career-best season in 2025, his overall body of work last year was thoroughly mediocre. This should be a victory for Pittsburgh.
Prediction: Steelers win (8-7)
Week 17 @ Tennessee Titans, 1:00 PM
Sitting at 8-7, the Steelers would likely need to win out, reach 10 wins, and perhaps also 'hope' for something to fall their way. Fortunately, even though the Tennessee Titans have made a slew of positive changes this offseason, they're still a ways away from competing for anything notable. The Steelers simply cannot afford to lose a late-season game like this against what is likely going to be a non-playoff team.
The Steelers do take care of business here, setting up what could be a do-or-die Week 18 showdown against Baltimore.
Prediction: Steelers win (9-7)
Week 18 @ Baltimore Ravens (TBD)
The Steelers finish up what could be a very unsurprising and expected 9-8 season with a loss against the Ravens. At 9-8, it might not be good enough for the team to get into the playoffs in 2026, as both Baltimore and Cincinnati have clear paths to double-digit wins.
With yet another just barely winning season, more of the same would plague the Steelers franchise, once again leaving the team and fanbase with way more questions than answers for the long-term.
Prediction: Steelers lose (9-8)
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