Steelers May Now Be Huge Favorite To Play On Monday Night Football In Week 1 Of The 2024 Season

There is a lot of time left for the Pittsburgh Steelers between the 2024 new league and the regular season kicking off in September. Rumors have swirled about the organization potentially being a fit to play the Philadelphia Eagles in the league's first ever contest in Brazil. The travel certainly might be far from ideal, but the positive is not having to play a true road game, especially in a hostile environment like Philadelphia, where the Eagles demolished the Steelers, 35-13 during the 2022 season. The NFL, however, now may have a much more attractive day and time slot for Pittsburgh in Week 1.

Many were probably thinking it, but team insider for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Gerry Dulac, took to social media on Monday evening to make his prediction. It all has to do with the fact that the Steelers are likely to have a new quarterback under center, and that just so happens to be a nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion in Russell Wilson.

After an ugly breakup with the Denver Broncos that led to him getting benched at the end of the 2023 season, Wilson was released and free to talk with other teams. He is expected to land in Pittsburgh when the new league year kicks off on Wednesday, setting up for a potential Monday Night Football game in Week 1 that would have all of America tuned in.

The NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell live for these kinds of storylines. It also helps that the two teams, aside from the situation with Wilson, have passionate fan bases and a combined nine Super Bowl titles. It almost makes too much sense to put them in the primetime slot on Monday, September 9th. It would serve the league right to make the final game of Week 1 between the Steelers and Broncos.

Pittsburgh is pretty much guaranteed to be on the road for the first week of the season as the Pittsburgh Pirates have a home stint from September 5th to the 11th. So, if the Steelers don't end up in Brazil, the prospect of Wilson going up against his former team as he suits up for one of the most storied franchises in all of sports is incredibly attractive.

It makes it even sweeter that, if Wilson is the starter, the team he is competing for is paying just over $1 million on the year for his services, while his Week 1 opponent will send him checks throughout the season nearing $40 million. That, paired with a visible rocky relationship with Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton, sets up for incredible television. 

Another top option that comes to mind is going with the family story. John and Jim Harbaugh are set to face off with the Baltimore Ravens having the Los Angeles Chargers on their schedule. That feels like more of a Sunday Night Football game however, or perhaps on the night of Thanksgiving. This will be a top storyline throughout the year, so it's a contest to keep an eye on that will without a doubt earn some type of primetime matchup.

Steelers Don't Have Too Many Easy Games On 2024 Schedule

The top three strength of schedules (based on 2023 winning percentage) in 2024 belong to the AFC North with the Cleveland Browns, Ravens and Steelers holding the first three spots. The Broncos finished with an 8-9 record and might be looked at as one of Pittsburgh's easier contests. It would be nice to start off the season with a win, but even better if Wilson has the starting gig and proves that his former team was wrong to move on from him so abruptly.

Do you want to see the Steelers play the Broncos on Monday Night Football in Week 1? Let us know in the comments below!

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