Steelers' newcomers could make history with unconventionally long seasons

The Pittsburgh Steelers weren't content letting the sun set on the 2024 NFL trade deadline without making an effort to bolster their roster. Though Omar Khan didn't land a superstar at the deadline the general added wide receiver and pass rusher depth with two players who combined for 18 years of NFL experience.

Mike Williams had a sluggish first half of the 2024 season as a member of the Jets, while Preston Smith didn't break the stat sheet for Green Bay. Still, both players are expected to play important roles for this team on a rental basis for the remainder of the season.

However, fans might not be aware that the Steelers' trade acquisitions could make history together in 2024.

Mike Williams and Preston Smith could become first teammates to play an 18-game NFL season

The irony of Pittsburgh's trade deadline acquisitions is that neither Williams nor Smith will get to experience a bye week this year. The Jets don't have their bye until Week 12, so Williams wouldn't have received his week off until late November. Meanwhile, the Packers were entering their bye when Smith was traded.

The Steelers, meanwhile, are fresh off their bye week. With nine games already under their belt this season, Williams and Smith are scheduled to play nine more with Pittsburgh to close out the 2024 regular season.

Assuming they can stay healthy, both players are on track to play an 18-game regular season.

Prior to 2024, only one player in NFL history played 18 games in a regular season (this is largely because the 17-game schedule has only been around since 2021). Leonard Williams, who was traded from the Giants to the Seahawks last year, found himself in a similar situation without a bye week.

This year, Za’Darius Smith (Browns to Lions), Khalil Davis (Texans to 49ers), and Jonathan Mingo (Panthers to Cowboys) could join Mike Williams (Jets to Steelers) and Preston Smith (Packers to Steelers) as the only players in NFL history to play 18 games in a single regular season.

However, Williams and Smith could take history one step further by becoming the first teammates in NFL history to play an 18-game regular season in the same year.

It's an obscure stat, and one fans don't often think about. Because of this grueling schedule without a break, we have the right to wonder how Williams and Smith -- two players in their 30s -- will be feeling by the end of the 2024 season.

Based on how things have gone in the first half of the season, it's fairly safe to assume the Pittsburgh Steelers are headed toward a playoff spot this year. This team is a long shot to win the Super Bowl, but assuming they did (without finishing atop the AFC and earning a first-round bye), Williams and Smith could further expand on their historic record.

If the Steelers made it to the AFC Championship Game, Williams and Smith could theoretically play football 21 weeks in a row without a break. If Pittsburgh made it to the Super Bowl, they would become the first players in NFL history to play 22 combined regular-season and postseason games in one stretch.

Of course, this is all wishful thinking. For now, we just hope Mike Williams and Preston Smith can make it through the second half of the season without getting injured.