It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for a weekly Steelers links roundup at BTSC. But first, let’s take a look around the AFC North:
- Ravens expecting Lamar Jackson, Roquan Smith back after Week 7 bye (Baltimore Beatdown)
- Bengals at Packers Week 6: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (Cincy Jungle)
- Browns WR announces his retirement (Dawgs by Nature)
And a new category: what’s the latest on the Steelers’ upcoming opponent?
(A few more Bengals stories this week):
- Logan Wilson doesn’t understand benching; vows to support Barrett Carter (Cincy Jungle)
- Bengals vs. Steelers Injury Report: Shemar Stewart set for major role with Trey Hendrickson banged up (Cincy Jungle)
Now, onto some Steelers news and discussion:
Steelers’ Rodgers, Bengals’ Flacco rare matchup of QBs in 40s
(From ESPN’s Brooke Pryor): As Aaron Rodgers stepped to the mic stand in front of the Steelers-logoed backdrop Tuesday, teammate Cameron Heyward stood nearby and playfully heckled the 41-year-old quarterback.
“Oldest quarterbacks playing this week, let’s go,” Heyward said, clapping his hands. “Icy Hot bowl. I love it!”
Rodgers just smirked and shook his head.
In Thursday night’s Steelers-Bengals matchup, Rodgers and Joe Flacco will become just the second pair of opposing quarterbacks 40 or older in NFL history to start a regular or postseason game against each other, according to ESPN Research.
Flacco-Rodgers isn’t just the rare matchup between 40-plus-year-old quarterbacks — it’s also a matchup between the two oldest passers in the league. And ironically, perhaps, it’s a late kickoff on a short week. Flacco’s rookie season was 2008; Rodgers’ was 2005. Both won a Super Bowl with their original teams.
Grass-fed beef: Steelers’ Acrisure Stadium playing surface back under the microscope
(From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko): Chris Boswell has just two missed field goals this season, but one was blocked and the other has a grass-terisk.
It wasn’t until Boswell’s slip-and-kick attempt that looked scary for the Steelers kicker and looked bad for the playing surface at Acrisure Stadium that attention on the Steelers’ field conditions reached a fever pitch. But then venerable quarterback Aaron Rodgers — who always has an opinion and often isn’t shy to share it — called it “borderline unplayable” unprompted by any question about it.
A nice dive into what’s going on with the Steelers’ grass woes.
The Steelers are a masterclass in successful mediocrity
(From SB Nation’s Mark Schofield): Looking at the NFL standings after six weeks of the 2025 season, you might find yourself asking a simple question.
Is anyone really good?
The league’s push towards parity seems to have kicked into overdrive in 2025. The 1972 Miami Dolphins were able to pop the champagne after Week 5 when the last two undefeated teams — the Philadelphia Eagles and the Buffalo Bills — lost games. And as Week 7 looms, just four teams have a single loss.
One of those teams? The Pittsburgh Steelers.
An outside perspective of the Steelers’ unexpected yet also common over-performance from preseason expectations. Are they legitimate? Maybe, but as Schofield points out, that’s a question you can ask of most NFL teams this season.
Week 7 Blog: Fun…and games
(From Steelers.com’s Teresa Varley): If you follow Cameron Heyward on social media, or T.J. Watt for that matter, it’s likely you saw the video on Saturday.
After the Steelers finished their walk-through ahead of the Browns game, Watt was met in the parking lot by a mariachi band performing Happy Birthday to celebrate the linebacker’s big day. That was after they left a large card they signed in his locker, and sang to him in a team meeting.
…
“I wanted to do something special for T.J.,” said Heyward. “Me and a bunch of other guys, we were saying we’ve got to have more fun this year, and it was a nice little added-on thing.
In case you missed it, the Steelers’ weekly blogs do a nice job recapping the week’s happenings and previewing what’s next.
Sources expect active NFL trade market ahead of deadline
(From ESPN’s Adam Schefter): Just this past week, three of the four teams in the AFC North — Baltimore, Cincinnati and Cleveland — made trades Tuesday. The only AFC North team that didn’t complete a deal was the first-place Steelers, who are expected to explore upgrading their roster in the weeks ahead of the deadline.
A big Schefter report from earlier this week that hasn’t come into fruition yet. But the Steelers made two trades at the deadline last year — including one for a wide receiver — so it’s hardly shocking information. The NFL trade deadline is 4 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Will the Steelers be active at the trade deadline?
If the Steelers see themself as a contender — or at least close to one — why wouldn’t they? The AFC, and even the NFL as a whole, hasn’t felt this wide open in a while, and if the Steelers feel like they’re a piece away from being where they need to be, they’ll be looking around.
I don’t think Pittsburgh will or should part with much 2026 draft capital. They’ve built up a collection of picks in the upcoming draft for a reason and need to hold onto most of it. But there are always quality veterans available for a Day 3 pick near the deadline.
It make sense for the Steelers to be looking for a boost to their wide receiver room. The team obviously doesn’t have the most receiver-friendly offense, but if D.K. Metcalf misses any time, it could be disastrous. And while the team doesn’t currently rely much on its WR2, an upgrade there could add some dimension to an offense that might still need to take another step.
Offensive line depth is another trade target worth a mention. It’s arguably the weakest link on the roster right now. But high-quality backup offensive linemen, especially if they’re cheap, are worth their weight in the gold in the NFL. I wouldn’t get my hopes up.
Are the Steelers looking to upgrade via trade? Will they? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments!
