The Pittsburgh Steelers open the 2025 season this Sunday at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets. This weekend's contest has the storylines to be an entertaining battle. Both teams have new starting quarterbacks who are facing their former teams, Aaron Glenn makes his debut as the Jets' head coach, the Steelers' roster feels brand new, and who knows if Cameron Heyward will suit up for Pittsburgh. With the excitement and anticipation building for Week 1's season opener, let's take a look back at the previous five matchups between the Steelers and Jets.
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Former Steelers QB Russell Wilson celebrates with wide receiver George Pickens during a 2024 regular season game.
2024 - Steelers 37, Jets 15
Talk about storylines, this game had just as many. Mike Tomlin decides to bench Justin Fields after leading the Steelers to a 4-2 record through six games, giving the starting nod to Russell Wilson. On the green side, the Jets had acquired All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams just a few days prior to this Sunday night matchup, and he was making his Jets debut.
It was a slow start for the Steelers on offense, only mustering two Chris Boswell field goals in the first 25 minutes of game time and trailing 15-6. Then with just over a minute left in the half, a switch flipped. Beanie Bishop picked off Aaron Rodgers for his first career interception, and the Steelers finally found the end zone on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to George Pickens. The Steelers trailed 15-13 at the half, but they would outscore the Jets 24-0 in the second half to run away with a 37-15 victory. Wilson threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for another. Najee Harris rushed for over 100 yards with a score, and Pickens surpassed 100 yards as well with a touchdown.
2022 - Jets 24, Steelers 20
This game can simply be referred to as, "The Kenny Pickett Game." In a Week 4 matchup, the Steelers came in looking for any sort of answer for three abysmal offensive performances to start the season, and they didn't get any sort of answer in the first 30 minutes. Pittsburgh's first half drives ended in a punt, interception, punt, field goal, punt, punt, and a field goal. The Steelers trailed 10-6 at halftime, and something needed to change. Tomlin made the decision to bench Mitch Trubisky and inserted rookie first-rounder Kenny Pickett.
Although Pickett threw an interception on his very first attempt as a Steeler, he proved to be the spark Pittsburgh was looking for. Pickett led the Steelers to back-to-back touchdown drives after his pick, scoring both touchdowns on the ground. The Steelers led 20-10 and it felt that the future was looking bright for the black and gold. The Jets scored to cut the lead to 20-17, and then Pickett threw yet another interception. New York marched on a 10-play, 65-yard touchdown drive to take the lead with just :16 seconds to go, giving New York a miraculous 24-20 victory.
2019 - Jets 16, Steelers 10
Le'Veon Bell's only game he ever played against the Steelers. As crazy as the 2019 season was, the 8-6 Steelers entered Week 16 needing a win against the 5-9 Jets to stay in the playoff picture. In his second-to-final start as a Steeler, Devlin Hodges threw two first half interceptions and was ultimately benched for Mason Rudolph before halftime. Rudolph led the Steelers to a game-tying touchdown drive right before halftime, but a shoulder injury in the third quarter forced Hodges back in the game and the Steelers' offense never recovered. Pittsburgh punted on five straight drives to start the second half, but still had a chance to win it in the final seconds. Hodges' pass intended for JuJu Smith-Schuster fell incomplete on fourth down, sealing the 16-10 win for Gang Green.
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Steelers quarterbacks Devlin 'Duck' Hodges and Mason Rudolph held down the fort at quarterback in 2019.
2016 - Steelers 31, Jets 13
The final time the Steelers ever wore their iconic "Bumblebee" uniforms. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 380 yards with four touchdowns. Sammie Coates (that's a name you haven't heard in a while) caught six passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Jesse James and Antonio Brown both caught a touchdown, and Bell had over 150 scrimmage yards in a dominant Steelers victory.
2014 - Jets 20, Steelers 13
Yes, Michael Vick played for the Jets. Just one week after Roethlisberger threw six touchdown passes for the second consecutive week, the Steelers' offense laid an absolute egg against the 1-8 Jets. The Steelers trailed 17-3 at halftime, and they didn't reach the end zone until 1:16 left to go in the game when Roethlisberger hit Martavis Bryant for an 80-yard score.
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Former Jets QB Michael Vick (1) against the Steelers.
The most memorable moment of this game was 34-year old Vick juking-out Steelers defensive back Brice McCain.
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