The Pittsburgh Steelers learned their full schedule for the 2026 NFL season this week. The slate will include plenty of exciting matchups, including an historic trip to Paris, France.
But every team faces adversity with its NFL schedule. The Steelers will be no different in 2026.
Let’s take a look at three things Mike McCarthy and the Steelers should like about their schedule. They might have to overcome all three to win the AFC North again this season.
Road Thursday Night AFC North Game After Division Opponent
For years, Steelers fans complained Mike Tomlin’s clubs dropped games they should have won. Over more recent seasons, there was a common theme to some of those surprising losses.
Tomlin posted a 9-12 record on Thursday nights along with a putrid 2-10 mark on the road. In road AFC North games, the Steelers went 0-5 on Thursdays under Tomlin.
So, it should be rather concerning to Pittsburgh fans that once again the Steelers will play on the road Thursday inside the division. The Cleveland Browns will host the Steelers for Thursday Night Football in Week 4.
Each of the last two times the Steelers lost on the road versus an AFC North opponent Thursday night, they also played an AFC North rival the prior Sunday. That’s the case again for the Steelers in 2026.
Before the Browns, the Steelers will host the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3.
During 2024, the Steelers defeated the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11 but then fell to the Browns on a short week during Week 12.
That history doesn’t bode well for Pittsburgh’s trip to Cleveland in 2026. Neither does the team’s four-game losing streak in Cleveland since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement.
Facing Baltimore Ravens on Short Week
With the amount of games in the league during the week, it’s inevitable to square off against opponents in situations where they have more rest. Ideally, though, teams still don’t want their biggest rivals or toughest opponents to be the ones who had extra time to prepare.
That’s the case for the Steelers late in the season with the Ravens. In Week 14, the Steelers will play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football. Six days later, the Steelers will host the Baltimore Ravens at 1 pm ET.
That’s not at all ideal, especially with the Steelers needing to travel back home late Monday night after playing the Jaguars.
In Week 11, the Steelers will also have the unfortunate scenario of facing the Philadelphia Eagles with the Eagles coming off their bye week. That is also a road game in Philadelphia.
While the Eagles are resting in Week 10, the Steelers have a Sunday night affair scheduled with the Bengals.
Steelers-Ravens Again Slotted for Late-Season Drama
For the fourth time in the past five years, the Steelers and Ravens will play twice after Thanksgiving (this includes the 2024-25 postseason game).
Depending on how things play out in 2026, this could be an advantage for the Steelers. Sometimes that late in the season, quarterback Lamar Jackson is not playing due to injury or at least banged up because of various ailments.
That’s been a significant advantage for the Steelers over the years.
But the past two years, the Steelers have been a better September team than December. In 2024, the team lost four straight entering the playoffs.
Things could be different under McCarthy in 2026.
But with the league bunching more division games at the end of the season, the implications are clear. If teams aren’t at their best during the stretch of weeks where they play their biggest rivals, then it’s much harder to win a division title.
3 Things to Hate About Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 NFL Schedule