The Pittsburgh Steelershave persevered through injuries and several tight games to reach their bye week leading one of the most competitive divisions in football.
First-year coach Mike McCarthy’s team can’t rest fully at 6-2. Quarterback Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals are only a half-game behind at 5-2. The Cleveland Brows are one full game back at 5-3 after losing at Acrisure Stadium in Week 8. And even amid multiple quarterback injuries, the Ravens are still alive at 4-4.
Still, you’d probably rather be the Steelers than any other team in the group at this stage of the season.
McCarthy’s offense has started to find its groove behind running back Jaylen
Warren, whom teammate T.J. Watt has described as a “bowling ball with teeth” this season. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the passing game have had tepid downfield success, but the short-and-quick attack he and McCarthy have deployed amid injuries to receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson has worked well enough.
The defense, meanwhile, seems to be loving first-year coordinator Patrick Graham’s adjustments to predominantly zone coverage schemes. The unit has limited big plays, and started to disrupt opposing passers like Steel Curtain defenses of old. Watt and Co. had eight sacks against the Browns in Week 8.
Now comes an idle week that the Steelers can use to get healthy and come out blasting in Week 10 with a key rematch against the Bengals. Here’s USA TODAY’s look at what lies ahead in 2026.
Are the Steelers playing today?
The Steelers are not hitting the field in Week 9. Their bye week falls at the exact midpoint of the season. They’re joined by the Tennessee Titans in taking the week off.
Pittsburgh will return to action with that Week 10 matchup with the Bengals, then a road trip to face the cross-state rival Eagles, whom they’ve not beaten in Philadelphia since 1965.
- Week 10 – at Cincinnati Bengals, 8:20 p.m.
- Week 11 – at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m.
- Week 12 – Denver Broncos, 3 p.m.
Pittsburgh Steelers schedule 2026
Week 1 – Sept. 13: Pittsburgh Steelers 20, Atlanta Falcons 13
Week 2 – Sept. 20: New England Patriots 20, Pittsburgh Steelers 3
Week 3 – Sept. 27: Pittsburgh Steelers 30, Cincinnati Bengals 27
Week 4 – Oct. 1: Cleveland Browns 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 24
Week 5 – Oct. 11: Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Indianapolis Colts 22
Week 6 – Oct. 18: Pittsburgh Steelers 26, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19
Week 7 – Oct. 25: Pittsburgh Steelers 16, New Orleans Saints 10
Week 8 – Nov. 1: Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Cleveland Browns 6
Week 9: BYE
Week 10 – Nov. 15: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 8:20 p.m., NBC (“Sunday Night Football”)
Week 11 – Nov. 22: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m., CBS
Week 12 – Nov. 27: Denver Broncos vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 3:00 p.m., Prime Video
Week 13 – Dec. 6: Houston Texans vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:20 p.m., NBC
Week 14 – Dec. 14: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
Week 15 – Dec. 20: Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m., CBS
Week 16 – TBD: Carolina Panthers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, TBD, TBD
Week 17 – Jan. 3: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m., CBS
Week 18 – TBD: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens, TBD, TBD
AFC North standings
- Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
- Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)
- Cleveland Browns (5-3)
- Baltimore Ravens (4-4)
NFL Week 9 schedule
Here’s a look at the Week 9 schedule (all times Eastern)
Thursday, Nov. 5
Jacksonville Jaguars at Baltimore Ravens, 8:15 p.m, Prime Video
Sunday, Nov. 8
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Atlanta Falcons (Madrid, Spain), 9:30 a.m., NFL Network
Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m., CBS
Dallas Cowboys at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m., FOX
New York Jets at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m., CBS
Detroit Lions at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m., CBS
Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m., CBS
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m., FOX
Los Angeles Rams at Washington Commanders, 1 p.m., FOX
Houston Texans at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m., CBS
Las Vegas Raiders at San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m., FOX
Green Bay Packers at New England Patriots, 4:25 p.m, FOX
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 p.m., FOX
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:20 p.m., NBC (“Sunday Night Football”)
Monday, Nov. 9
Buffalo Bills at Minnesota Vikings, 8:15 p.m., ESPN (“Monday Night Football”)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Are the Steelers playing today? NFL Week 9 schedule, next game, AFC North standings
