The schedule has been mostly set for the 2026 Pittsburgh Steelers. While the team is currently holding OTAs, there isn’t much actual football yet to discuss at this point in the calendar. That won’t begin until the team heads up to Latrobe this summer for training camp, and we won’t have any meaningful football until mid-September.
So to fill the time, we at Read & React wanted to take a look at the Steelers’ recently announced schedule for the upcoming season. But just going through each game week
by week felt too dull, so we decided to gamify this exercise by holding a draft. We created seven categories we each had to fulfill with our draft:
- Can’t Miss Games – a pretty self-explanatory category, we each had to draft a game against an opponent from each conference
- Best Island Game – These games are exclusively broadcast, meaning there are no other games happening while they’re being played. That accounts for prime time broadcasts, international games, and games scheduled in irregular time slots around the holidays.
- Best Rivalry Game — for this category, we could have chosen from a division rival, or a team that the Steelers fanbase typically loves to hate, or has some other regional rivalry (Philadelphia).
- Most Skippable Game — Listen, we love and obsess over football too, but the football season is long, and there are gonna be some weeks where other life obligations might tie up your time. These are games that you can feel OK missing if necessary.
- Wild Card — maybe we think it’s a fun matchup, maybe it’s one that’s hard to predict. Or perhaps it’s some other mysterious third thing.
But that’s enough set up. Ryan was awarded the first pick, so let’s get to drafting.
The draft
1.01 RP: Week 10: at Cincinnati Bengals, 8:20 PM (SNF) – Best Island Game
This was a tough decision between two division rivalry games for me: Bengals or Ravens. Ultimately, the tiebreaker for me involved some game theory: the Steelers have six confirmed island games, making that category a smaller pool to pick from. That most of these games were not ones I was overly pumped for made nabbing a Sunday Night Football tilt against a division rival seem like a higher priority, even if there is a good chance that Week 18 Baltimore could be for the division.
That Cincinnati is once again being pumped up by the national media only makes this a game even more appealing to me. Sure, the Bengals appear to have targeted improving their defense this offseason, but they haven’t made the playoffs in three straight years. Yet they’re talked about on TV and on podcasts as if they’re clearly better than a Steelers team that also improved its overall talent and depth and won the division last year. If the Steelers are going to take a step forward under Mike McCarthy, and the Bengals are as improved as people say, this will be a big prove-it game for the Steelers.
1.02 RB: Week 18: at Baltimore Ravens, TBD – Can’t Miss AFC Game
Week 18 vs. the Ravens delivered in a big way for the Steelers last season, with Pittsburgh winning the AFC North’s lone playoff bid in a dramatic late-game sequence. It was the most memorable game of 2025 for Pittsburgh, and the NFL schedule-makers are once again banking on that to happen in 2026.
It’s hard to imagine a scenario where this game doesn’t have massive playoff implications for both teams. There’s no way any Steelers fan should miss this one.
2.01 RP: Week 12: vs. Denver Broncos, 3:00 PM (Black Friday) – Most Skippable AFC Game
I’m making this pick for all the folks who don’t have to watch every game for their job – and truthfully, to shrink Ryland’s island game pool. As a consumer, it’s been a little frustrating in recent years watching the NFL not only increase the number of streamers you have to subscribe to to avoid missing any games, but also with how spread out they are now scheduling their games around the holidays. For a lot of people, Black Friday is a day to be spent with family and friends in a way that’s usually more fun and casual than Thanksgiving.
The game itself is also one that could have the narrative around it drastically change by November. Right now, it’s easy to envision this as a crucial game for two playoff-contending teams. We should have a clearer picture by then about whether the Steelers and Aaron Rodgers are making a spirited push for the playoffs or if they have fallen off a cliff. Likewise, Denver feels like a team ripe for regression to me. While the defense remains talented, I don’t believe it to be the league’s top unit, and maintaining elite defensive play year-to-year is a difficult task. Can Denver stay healthy and put together a third straight year being top-five in defensive scoring? And how much do we trust that Broncos offense?
This could be a fun game, but it could just as easily be one you’re glad you skipped to spend quality time with the family.
2.02 RB: Week 15: vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 PM – Best Rivalry Game
I was happy to get both Ravens games in my draft. These are the dates everyone circles once the schedule is released. This matchup might not be as dramatic as Week 18’s, but it’s still late in the season and should matter quite a bit to both teams.
Plus, this one is in Pittsburgh. I expect one of the NFL’s best rivalries to deliver.
3.01 RP: Week 7: at New Orleans Saints, 9:30 AM (Paris) – Most Skippable NFC Game
I’m definitely wearing my West Coast glasses on this one, but European games air at 6:30 AM where I live. For that reason, it’s an easy choice for a skip game. Even for those of you living on the East Coast, this is an early game.
The Steelers should hopefully win this one, even though I think the Saints are a fun team that could win their division this year. But if quarterback Tyler Shough takes the next step and looks like a good quarterback, and if promising rookie receiver Jordyn Tyson – a favorite among some of the Steelers faithful during draft season – plays well during the first month and a half of the season, you just know there will be Yinzers complaining all through this game that Pittsburgh should have drafted them. Save yourself the grief if you’re on the fence about fitting this one into your schedule.
3.02 RB: Week 16: vs. Carolina Panthers, TBD – Most Skippable NFC Game
So, you’re probably thinking that a late-season matchup against a scrappy reigning division winner is far from skippable – and I’d agree. This was originally my “wild card” pick, but by the time I had to draft for this category, all the NFC games were gone. Thus, the Steelers’ Panthers matchup moved to that slot. It’s a miscalculation on my part, but in my defense, I’ll just point to having drafted both Ravens games already.
Still, you could make a valid argument for this game being skippable. It’s the lone non-AFC game this late in the season, meaning it could, theoretically, not apply much to Pittsburgh’s postseason chances. It’s also scheduled for Dec. 27, two days after Christmas, meaning many of us will have more pressing family obligations.
4.01 RP: Week 1: vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 PM – Can’t Miss NFC Game
I’m continuing my trend of working smarter, not harder, with this selection. Listen, are there more interesting NFC opponents on the Steelers’ schedule this year? Certainly. But it’s hard to beat the anticipation of a new season. Add in that the Steelers have a brand new coaching staff and have made several intriguing offseason acquisitions that I’m excited to see play, and this was a simple choice.
Atlanta has one of the worst quarterback rooms on paper and an inconsistent defense that wasn’t able to make many improvements due to cap restrictions and having traded away their first-round pick. The Steelers should also recognize a lot of what the Falcons will try to do thanks to the former Brown, Kevin Stefanski, taking over as head coach. This should hopefully result in an early win for McCarthy and the Steelers. That’s something you don’t want to miss.
4.02 RB: Week 4: at Cleveland Browns, 8:15 PM (TNF) – Most Skippable AFC Game
You could argue no AFC North game is skippable for Steelers fans, but this is as close as it gets. It’s early in the season when the stakes aren’t quite as high, and the past several editions of Steelers-Browns TNF in Cleveland have shown us Pittsburgh doesn’t always end up playing like itself. There will be a final result that matters in the standings, but we might not learn much about either team.
Plus, Thursday night isn’t always the most accessible time slot. I tend to have things planned when games are happening, and on the East Coast, it’s a late weeknight. If you skip this one, I get it.
5.01 RP: Week 14: at Jacksonville Jaguars, 8:15 PM (MNF) – Can’t Miss AFC Game
Ryland has been putting off selecting his island game for some reason, so I can’t let his good deed go unpunished. I’ll take another prime time game here, and one that I expect to be a lot of fun.
When a team finds success in Year 1 with a first-time head coach, that second season is always a fascinating watch. Will the coach prove the first year wasn’t a fluke? Or will things start to get away from him now that the league has studied his tendencies? Liam Cohen is a coach I have some faith in to keep his team competitive, and this mid-December matchup should be a fun one. This could determine playoff seeding for both teams.
5.02 RB: Week 11: at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 PM – Can’t Miss NFC Game
I almost picked the Buccaneers game for this slot, as the Steelers haven’t historically been fun to watch when playing in Philadelphia. Still, this game is too big to ignore. In Week 11, it’s part of an important stretch of games for Pittsburgh, and it’s an in-state rivalry between two teams that should be playoff contenders in 2026.
Plus, with concerns regarding Jalen Hurts’ future with the Eagles – especially with a possible A.J. Brown trade looming – Philadelphia might not be quite as formidable as they’ve been in recent seasons. With a new coaching staff, the Steelers might finally break their Philly losing streak. At least, this might be an entertaining matchup between two good teams that invest in the trenches.
6.01 RP: Week 2: at New England Patriots, 1:00 PM – Best Rivalry Game
Ryland scooped up both Ravens games early, so I am left to seek alternatives with this pick. Picking another Bengals game feels lame, especially with the first matchup coming early on in the calendar (Week 3). And while every division game is important, I can’t really say Browns games have been “fun” over the years, which seems like an important element for the “best” rivalry game.
Therefore, I’ll go for an opponent outside of the division that I know every Yinzer loves to hate. The Patriots are a team the Black and Gold love to hate, and the Steelers were one of just three teams to beat New England in the regular season a year ago. The Pats and young quarterback Drake Maye didn’t lose again until Week 15 and then made a run to the Super Bowl. Whether or not that proves to be a fluke, it’s a game I know Steelers fans will relish a victory just a little bit more than most wins, and could potentially start the Steelers off 2-0 if they handle their business early in the season.
6.02 RB: Week 13: vs. Houston Texans, 8:20 (SNF) – Best Island Game
If you don’t want to relive the Steelers’ playoff loss to Houston, I don’t blame you. I doubt Aaron Rodgers wants to either. But this will still be an important matchup in the AFC playoff picture and a chance for Pittsburgh to get some revenge for its Wild Card loss.
The Houston defense should once again give most teams fits in 2026, but the offense is far from a finished product – the Texans are definitely beatable. If you enjoy defense, this game could definitely deliver in the Sunday Night Football slot in Week 13.
7.01 RP: Week 6: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:00 PM – Wild Card
Ryland really backed himself into a corner here and could have put me in a bind if he had taken this game the previous round. As is, I’m pumped to get this for my Wild Card category, as this is another game on paper that should be a fun time.
Baker Mayfield may never put it together for an entire season, but he’s always been a player with a fun playstyle to watch when things are going well for him, and equally as fun when it’s not, and your team is playing him. The Bucs will feel a bit weird this year with Mike Evans no longer around, but this game has the potential to be a shootout just the same. The Bucs also drafted a seemingly motivated Rueben Bain Jr. after he had a bit of a draft night slide, which could be an intriguing matchup to watch for the young Steelers offensive line.
7.02 RB: Week 5: vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 PM – Wild Card
I originally wanted the Panthers game for my Wild Card slot, but the Colts were the next-best option as a consolation prize. Indianapolis is the definition of a wild card entering 2025. After an unexpected hot start to 2025, the Colts collapsed in a big way, missing the playoffs despite beginning the year 8-2.
And for 2026, the Colts doubled down on their 2025 strategy, re-signing quarterback Daniel Jones (post-Achilles tear) and wide receiver Alec Pierce to big contracts, and making a sizable investment in cornerback Sauce Gardner. Can they capture lightning in a bottle again, or is building a team around Daniel Jones the wrong strategy? We should gain some answers in Week 5.
The Rest
The three games that went undrafted are:
- vs. Bengals 9/27 (1 PM)
- vs. Browns 11/1 (1 PM)
- @ Titans 01/03 (1 PM)
These aren’t surprising ones to be left off. We addressed the Bengals with the Week 10 prime time matchup. The Browns are the Browns. And Tennessee once again has a new coach, but is expected to be one of the worst NFL teams again.
Once again, here is our draft summary.
Who drafted the better slate of games, Ryan or Ryland? Which categories did we get right? Which ones did we have you muttering at your screen? Which matchups are you excited for? Let us know in the comments!
