The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated their arch-rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 26-24 to finish the season 10-7, clinching the AFC North title. They will enter the playoffs as the #4 seed and host the #5-seeded Houston Texans in the opening round.
Sunday night’s win was huge for the Steelers’ Super Bowl hopes, and with speculation swirling around head coach Mike Tomlin’s future, finishing with a 10-win season and claiming the division title could help silence that chatter.
Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth made it clear how much the Sunday night win meant for head coach Mike Tomlin.
“It’s awesome, man … being able to get this for Coach T,” Freiermuth said, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN.
He added, “Coach T is the best coach I ever played for, and I think a lot of people in this locker room feel the same way. He’s one of one. We wouldn’t be here without him. He instills belief. He instills confidence in us. And I’m just super grateful to be here with him.”
Freiermuth had a strong night, helping Pittsburgh secure the win with 51 receiving yards on three catches.
GettyQB Aaron Rodgers and HC Mike Tomlin.
Steelers’ Locker Room Reacts to Big Win
Linebacker Patrick Queen was in total shock at the end of Pittsburgh’s thrilling 26-24 victory.
“I heard the stadium go crazy,” said Pittsburgh linebacker Patrick Queen, who said he couldn’t watch Loop’s kick. “I was just shocked. I was just shocked. I didn’t look back. I didn’t look at the scoreboard. I just literally just stood there,” according to Pryor.
Defensive lineman Cam Heyward reflected on the missed kick by Baltimore.
“I got my head around, and I was like, ‘Damn, he missed it.’ We haven’t had a lot of misses here. I remember early on in our career, [former Ravens kicker Justin] Tucker had one to win the game, and that kind of ended our season. So, we were due to give them one back,” according to Pryor.
Wide receiver Calvin Austin III echoed Freiermuth’s support for Tomlin.
Austin said, “At the end of the day, we got Coach T and 8, so we always have a shot,” according to Pryor.
GettyWR Calvin Austin III.
Why the Steelers vs. Texans Game Is Critical for Tomlin
The Steelers have consistently made the playoffs, but advancing past the Wild Card round has been a recurring challenge. According to StatMuse, Pittsburgh has lost four of their most recent playoff games, all in the Wild Card round. Diving deeper, in the team’s last ten playoff games, they have won only three, highlighting a clear struggle to win the big games.
If the Steelers can get past the Wild Card round against the Texans, it would be a huge boost for head coach Mike Tomlin and the franchise, proving they can not only make the playoffs but also win in them.
GettyThe Steelers will play the Texans in the first round.
Steelers Players Rally Around Tomlin After Huge Win