The Pittsburgh Steelers played their second preseason game of 2026 on Friday night, and things did not go so well. The group failed to put a point on the board as the unit lost 17-0 to the New York Jets. The defense looked decent throughout the game after giving up a score on the first drive of the contest, but the offense struggled to gain its footing with both Will Howard and Drew Allar playing a half at quarterback. Things were a mess offensively, and both young quarterbacks did not play as well as they did in the first preseason game against the Green Bay Packers.
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Steelers' Mike McCarthy with Drew Allar and Will Howard before a home preseason game against the New York Jets prior to the 2026 regular season.
The Steelers struggled to move the ball throughout the majority of the game, and when the offense was able to get into scoring territory something bad seemed to happen. Howard threw a pick to end a drive that was on the brink of the end zone, and there was a missed field goal in the second half as well. Both were moments where players lacked execution, which seemed to be a common theme throughout the night.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy addressed the media after the loss, and he was asked about both of his young quarterbacks bouncing back from adversity. He stated he was confident in both of the young players before placing some of the blame on himself and his coaching staff.
"I mean, this is our second game together," McCarthy said. "We can be better as a staff, we're working through that. There's things that we did better from Week 1 to Week 2, I'm still going through everything. Pregame, there was a couple of things, but that's preseason. I wish we would have performed better tonight, I wish we would have been more productive tonight, that was really my message to the team. In the reality, we took a step as a football team. The scoreboard didn't reflect that, but we got great teaching film."
Players are always highlighted during the preseason. That could be young players trying to make their mark on the league as well as players battling for a roster spot, but one thing that is overlooked is coaching staffs. New coaching staffs come together every year, and in this case, the Steelers have undergone a near-complete overhaul. The group is still getting used to working with one another, and that can play an impact in the product that is put on the field.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy stands on the field and looks on as he watches the team workout during a 2026 training camp practice taking place at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
The Steelers gained just 242 yards of total offense in the loss, which is pretty concerning for an offensive coaching staff. The group is still learning how to prepare for games with one another while also finding a way to teach certain things to players and install specific schemes. This is something that will be refined by the time the regular season rolls around, so it is important not to overreact just yet. Things will hopefully look cleaner in Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills.
The Steelers Have Plenty Of Time To Turn Things Around
Pittsburgh has been through a rollercoaster over the last week. The last practices at training camp in Latrobe were moved inside due to weather that forced the franchise to break camp early, which could have certainly played a role in the team looking underprepared. Toss in the attrition of getting used to working with an entirely new staff, and that is a recipe for disaster. As long as things move in a positive direction when the team travels to Buffalo for the preseason finale, fans should keep some optimism.
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