Getty Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is a favorite for AP Comeback Player of the Year.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are still a good bet to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Fla. But perhaps not as likely a participant as they were just a few days ago, at least if you believe odds makers.
With the news that the New England Patriots have signed Cam Newton to a one-year contract, Fox Bet has the Steelers at 11 to 1 odds to win the AFC (down from 10 to 1 this past weekend), with the Patriots jumping up to 7.5 to 1 odds.
With the addition of Newton, only the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs have shorter odds than the Patriots or Steelers to reach the Super Bowl from the AFC, with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs still the favorite.
Per Fox Bet, the other top contenders in the AFC are the Indianapolis Colts (13 to 1), Buffalo Bills (14 to 1), Tennessee Titans (16 to 1) and Cleveland Browns (18 to 1), followed by the Los Angeles Chargers (22 to 1) and Houston Texans (25 to 1).
While the Chiefs and Patriots aren’t on Pittsburgh’s regular season schedule this year, the rest of the AFC’s top contenders are.
Obviously, the Steelers will play their AFC North rivals two times each. Pittsburgh will also travel to Tennessee on October 4, and to Buffalo on December 13. Pittsburgh will host the Texans on September 27, and the team’s home finale is against the Colts on December 27.
At the moment, Fox Bet has the Steelers at 25 to 1 odds to win Super Bowl LV. The Chiefs are the favorite at 6 to 1, while the Jacksonville Jaguars are the longest of the longshots at 250 to 1.
Ben Roethlisberger Remains Comeback Player of the Year Favorite
Meanwhile, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger remains the favorite to win the AP Comeback Player of the Year award (+275), but Cam Newton has moved into second place at 4 to 1 odds, ahead of Rob Gronkowski, J.J. Watt and Matthew Stafford, who round out the top five.
Other Comeback Player of the Year candidates include familiar names like A.J. Green (9 to 1) and Andy Dalton (22 to 1), with Joe Flacco also in the mix at 45 to 1. Myles Garrett, who spent much of last season suspended for his helmet-to-head hit on Steelers backup QB Mason Rudolph, is at 20 to 1.
You can even bet on now-retired New York Giants QB Eli Manning making a surprise comeback; Manning is at 100 to 1, same as Miami Dolphins quarterback Josh Rosen.
Roethlisberger Poised for ‘Huge Season’
There’s a good reason that Roethlisberger remains Comeback Player of the Year favorite, of course. To date, all signs point to Big Ben making great progress when it comes to recovering from the elbow surgery that ended his 2019 season after less than six quarters of play.
Multiple NFL analysts predict big things for Big Ben in 2020, including one who expects a ‘huge season.’ And even those analysts who no longer regard Roethlisberger as a Top 10 NFL QB still show respect for what he brings to the game.
Follow the Heavy on Steelers Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
READ NEXT: Who is the Steelers’ Most Underrated Player?
READ NEXT: Former Steelers LB Donates Huge Sum to Alma Mater
Comments
Patriots Sign Cam Newton, Steelers’ Odds Shift