Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Next up are the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 17 in our preseason power rankings.
For everything he accomplished, the respect he commanded around the NFL and the stability he brought to the organization, many Pittsburgh Steelers fans weren’t sad to see Mike Tomlin step down after 19 seasons as head coach.
While the Steelers never posted a losing season in Tomlin’s 19 years in charge, they had become consistently mediocre without a playoff win since 2016.
But simply changing the head coach — with former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy taking over — doesn’t change the reality of the Steelers’ bigger issue.
They are still trapped in the struggle that has befallen plenty of teams over the years — the inability to replace an all-time great quarterback.
Since Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season, the Steelers whiffed on first-round pick Kenny Pickett and traded him away after two seasons for a modest package of draft picks, tried the combination of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields and now have 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers in his second and final season before he heads into retirement.
Pittsburgh has given Rodgers a little more to work him this season, acquiring productive wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. from the Indianapolis Colts to pair with DK Metcalf and moving on from conservative offensive coordinator Arthur Smith with McCarthy and new OC Brian Angelichio who should move to a more aggressive passing attack.
Will that be enough to get the Steelers past the wildcard round for the first time since the 2017 season (or even back into the playoffs in what projects as a tougher AFC North this year)?
And, regardless, then what. Is third-round rookie Drew Allar a future franchise QB after a promising preseason? Or 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard, who was also kept on the roster?
Pittsburgh Steelers Reset
2025 Finish: 10-7, lost 30-6 to Texans in wildcard round
Head Coach: Mike McCarthy, first season (174-112-2 over 13 seasons as HC of the Packers and five with the Cowboys)
Hot Seat Meter (0-10): 0
Offensive Coordinator: Brian Angelichio, first season (previously passing game coordinator and TEs coach for Vikings)
Defensive Coordinator: Patrick Graham, first season (previous DC for Dolphins, Giants and Raiders)
Best Offseason Move: Stealing WR Michael Pittman Jr. from the Colts
The salary-cap-strapped Colts had to make some notable cost-saving moves in order to overpay and retain free agent WR Alec Pierce. That included trading Pittman and a 2026 seventh-round draft pick (No. 230) to Pittsburgh for a sixth-round pick (214).
So the Steelers merely moved back 16 picks near the end of the draft to acquire a receiver with 445 receptions for 4,751 yards and 24 touchdowns over the last five seasons.
Pittsburgh badly lacked a second receiver of this caliber opposite Metcalf last year — this was one of the most underrated moves of the NFL offseason. Pittman signed a two-year, $35-million extension (through 2028) with the Steelers after the trade.
Worst Offseason Move: Replacing RB Kenneth Gainwell with Rico Dowdle
It’s a different coaching staff and different offense, so maybe different preferences factored into this, but Gainwell added a valuable dynamic to the Steelers last season pairing with Jaylen Warren while having a career year with 537 rushing yards and 5 TDs on 4.7 yards per carry and 73 receptions for 486 yards and 3 TDs.
Gainwell signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two years and $14 million while the Steelers replaced him with Dowdle on a two-year, $12.25-million deal.
So the money was negligible.
Dowdle is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons (1,076 yards and 6 TDs on 4.6 YPC last season), but both the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers seemed fine to let him walk after those seasons. Also, 389 of his rushing yards last year came in back-to-back games while he topped 60 rushing yards in just two other games, was a non-factor many weeks and had just 5 carries for 9 yards and a 6-yard reception in the Panthers’ playoff loss.
Dowdle also is a much different player than Gainwell. He’s a serviceable receiver but without nearly the same upside in that way (career-high 39 receptions for 297 yards).
This feels like a downgrade overall.
Pittsburgh Steelers Roster Breakdown
Biggest Strength: Pass rush
The Steelers have one of the best groups of edge rushers in the NFL with T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig.
In fact, on their official depth chart, the Steelers listed all three outside linebackers/edge rushers and only one safety, suggesting the intent to get Herbig even more involved after he’s excelled in a rotational role the last three years (with 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 15 games in 2025).
Watt will look to return to top form after missing three games last season due to a fluke accident during a dry-needling treatment session that left him with a punctured lung. His 7 sacks and 10 TFLs were tied for the second-lowest marks of his nine-year career. The 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is an eight-time Pro Bowl selection with 115 career sacks, four first-team All-Pro honors (and one second-team). Most impressively, he’s finished top 4 in DPOY voting five of the last seven seasons.
Highsmith had 9.5 sacks and 15 TFLs in just 13 games last season.
The Steelers are looking to maximize that depth in a better way ths season.
Biggest Weakness: Inside linebacker
Between the edge rushers and a stout interior of the defensive line led by potential future Hall of Famer Cameron Heyward and 2025 first-round pick Derrick Harmon, the Steelers have the bulk of an elite front seven in place.
But inside linebackers Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen (a Pro Bowl selection in 2023 and 2024, for what it’s worth) have been underwhelming. While PFF grades aren’t flawless, it’s worth noting the analysts there graded Wilson 65th out of 88 qualifying LBs (52.6) and Queen 78th (44.0), while showing Wilson to largely be a liability in pass coverage.
Furthermore, according to ESPN analytics, Pittsburgh ranked 27th in run stop win rate (28.9%) last season
Most Intriguing Rookie: QB Drew Allar
Allar’s NFL stock dropped precipitously over the course of his Penn State career as he never seemed to take his performance to the next level after a breakout sophomore season and then had an injury-shortened 2025 season. He fell to the third round and 76th overall pick in the draft, where the Steelers took a gamble on the in-state prospect.
Allar then excelled in preseason games, completing 30 of 54 passes for 351 yards, 2 TDs and 0 INTs.
Allar is officially listed fourth on the depth chart behind Rodgers, Mason Rudolph and Howard, but when it comes to who might succeed Rodgers next season, Allar is top of the list.
Breakout Player: WR Roman Wilson
Wilson, a third-round pick in 2024, has just 12 catches for 166 yards and 2 TDs in his NFL career, but he turned heads this preseason and is listed as the team’s third receiver to open the season.
MVP Pick: EDGE T.J. Watt
Watt finished fourth in DPOY voting two seasons ago and will look to reestablish himself as one of the best in the game after a quiet 2025 season.
If the Steelers are going to make noise this season, the defense will likely need to lead the way with the pass rush setting the tone.
2026 Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| Week 1, Sept. 13 | vs. Atlanta Falcons | 1 p.m. |
| Week 2, Sept. 20 | at New England Patriots | 1 p.m. |
| Week 3, Sept. 27 | vs. Cincinnati Bengals | 1 p.m. |
| Week 4, Oct. 1 (Thursday) | at Cleveland Browns | 1 p.m. |
| Week 5, Oct. 11 | vs. Indianapolis Colts | 1 p.m. |
| Week 6, Oct. 18 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1 p.m. |
| Week 7, Oct. 25 (in Paris, France) | vs. New Orleans Saints | 9:30 a.m. |
| Week 8, Nov. 1 | vs. Cleveland Browns | 1 p.m. |
| Week 9 | BYE WEEK | |
| Week 10, Nov. 15 | at Cincinnati Bengals | 8:20 p.m. |
| Week 11, Nov. 22 | at Philadelphia Eagles | 4:25 p.m. |
| Week 12, Nov. 27 (Friday) | vs. Denver Broncos | 3 p.m. |
| Week 13, Dec. 6 | vs. Houston Texans | 8:20 p.m. |
| Week 14, Dec. 14 (Monday) | at Jacksonville Jaguars | 8:15 p.m. |
| Week 15, Dec. 20 | vs. Baltimore Ravens | 1 p.m. |
| Week 16, TBD (Flex Game) | vs. Carolina Panthers | TBD |
| Week 17, Jan. 3 | at Tennessee Titans | 1 p.m. |
| Week 18, TBD (Flex Game) | at Baltimore Ravens | TBD |
Pittsburgh Steelers Season Prediction And Parting Thoughts
Season Prediction: 9-8
It’s hard to find more than nine wins in looking at the schedule, but the reasons for optimism for Pittsburgh in 2026 are a healthy Watt leading the way for a stout defense and McCarthy opening up the passing attack to elevate the offense.
Rodgers was effective enough last season with 3,322 passing yards, 24 TDs and 7 INTs in a muted offensive scheme lacking any difference-making WRs beyond Metcalf. It will be interesting to see what he can do in a new offense while reuniting with the head coach with whom he won a Super Bowl in Green Bay.
