The Pittsburgh Steelers won against the Baltimore Ravens, which means they will host a playoff game soon. What that also means is that the 2026 opponents for all teams are officially locked in. There is always some sense of understanding of what a future schedule may look like, but there are some games that depend on placement in any given division. Now that fans saw that Pittsburgh has finished in first place, all of the teams that it will have to play in 2026 are now known. The exact days will be announced around May, per usual.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin during the 2025 NFL Owners Meeting in Florida.
The Steelers have to play everyone in their division twice, so that is nothing new. One home game and one road game for each of those matchups, with one of them coming in the final week of the regular season. No matter how good or bad those teams are, they never let Pittsburgh off easy in both games. Those will always be dogfights, especially for the games that happen later on in the season.
The Steelers will face off against the AFC South, which will include a road game against the division-champion Jacksonville Jaguars, as well as a trip to Nashville to face the Tennessee Titans with the likelihood of facing an improved version of 2025 first-overall pick Cam Ward. Jacksonville has given Pittsburgh some fits over the last decade, so that will be a dangerous matchup, especially if it's early in the season.
At home, the Steelers will have a brutal test against a relentless Houston Texans defense that can hang with any team in the NFL. It will be a rematch of the franchises' upcoming 2025 Wild Card matchup. The Steelers will also have to go against the Indianapolis Colts for the fifth year in a row, but that organization has major questions about the quarterback position that may not be answered until the 2026 offseason begins.
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Quarterback Aaron Rodgers delivers a pass during the Steelers' 27-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9 of the 2025 NFL Season.
On the NFC side, the Steelers may have to go back overseas to face the New Orleans Saints, even though Pittsburgh just had its Ireland trip in 2025. The team will also get to meet their old rival on the road, as it will go to face Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who will be looking for a bounce-back performance after a disappointing 2025 campaign.
The Carolina Panthers have come out of nowhere to take the league by storm in 2025, but they do struggle on the road, so that is a good early sign for the Steelers. Pittsburgh will also get to face the Atlanta Falcons at home, as Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith could be going against both of his former teams, as long as he does not get hired as a head coach elsewhere.
Steelers' Games That Became Confirmed After Week 18
The Steelers will get a home game for the AFC West. Because they finished in first, they will get to host the Denver Broncos. The defense has been electric throughout the 2025 season, so there's no doubt that they will be a tough match, but not playing in Colorado will be a big plus for Pittsburgh. That will likely be a low-scoring match that could come down to one or two offensive drives.
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Broncos QB Bo Nix rolls out to throw a pass.
The Steelers will also have to go on the road against the New England Patriots for the AFC East. With quarterback Drake Maye playing at a MVP level in 2025, this game will likely be much different from the turnover fest back in Week 3 of the 2025 campaign. Pittsburgh is also set to have a big matchup with the NFC East to face the Philadelphia Eagles at their stadium. Pittsburgh has not played well against the Eagles in years, so that is not a good sign early on.
What do you think about the Steelers' upcoming opponents for 2026? What do you think their record will be? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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