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Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 NFL Season Preview

[Editor's note: This article is from Athlon Sports' 2025 NFL Preview Magazine. Order your copy today online or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.]

The Steelers’ big shakeup at quarterback for 2024 didn’t provide much of a change to the end result — another sluggish end to the regular season followed by an early playoff exit. So, one year after the failed Russell Wilson-Justin Fields experiment, the Steelers appear poised to go even bigger and bolder to try to get over the hump and deep into the postseason. Though nothing was official heading into the heart of the Steelers’ offseason program, Aaron Rodgers appears poised to be the new main man in the city Mr. Rogers called home. With Rodgers in the fold, the Steelers would be banking on a comeback season from the veteran quarterback to add some juice to a Mike Tomlin-led product that’s stuck in a rut of falling short of Pittsburgh’s sky-high expectations.

More NFL team previews

AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Jets | Patriots

AFC North:Bengals | Browns | Ravens | Steelers

AFC South:Colts | Jaguars | Texans | Titans

AFC West: Broncos | Chargers | Chiefs | Raiders

NFC East:Commanders | Cowboys | Eagles | Giants

NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings

NFC South: Buccaneers | Falcons | Panthers | Saints

NFC West: 49ers | Cardinals | Rams | Seahawks

Offense

Pittsburgh has made big changes at the three spots that touch the ball the most — quarterback, running back and wide receiver — in hopes of shaking last season’s doldrums.

Rodgers, of course, would be the star attraction. Undoubtedly, the polarizing veteran’s best football is behind him, but the Steelers would be banking on his 20-plus years of experience to give a jolt to their stagnant offense. In his first season back from a torn Achilles, Rodgers’ mobility had clearly declined, and his ability to push the ball down the field — his average yards per attempt of 6.78 tied his career low as a starter — was limited.

Former Seattle Seahawks star and now Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf.

In Pittsburgh, though, Rodgers would be one year healthier and surrounded by an improved supporting cast. It starts up front, where Pittsburgh has invested valuable draft capital across the offensive line. Four of the five expected starters were added in recent drafts, including two first-round selections at the tackle position (LT Broderick Jones and RT Troy Fautanu). The only exception is veteran Pro Bowl guard Isaac Seumalo, who is rock-solid on the left side of the line. If Mr. Rodgers doesn’t come to town, the Steelers will lean on a familiar face, Mason Rudolph, who rejoined the team after spending the previous season with the Titans. Rudolph has 18 career starts, 13 coming with the Steelers. He’s been effective (8-4-1 as the Steelers’ starter) when called upon.

At wide receiver, Pittsburgh acquired a massive target in trading with Seattle for DK Metcalf. The seventh-year veteran has been the model of consistency, posting no fewer than 900 yards in each season and clearing 1,000 yards on three occasions. Metcalf’s mix of size, speed and overall strength is largely unmatched across the NFL, and he brings the kind of physicality Steelers fans love. He’s an upgrade over oft-troubled receiver George Pickens, who was sent to Dallas after three rocky seasons with the Steelers. The rest of Pittsburgh’s pass-catchers leave a bit to be desired, though there’s hope that Calvin Austin III can ascend in his third season and Roman Wilson can make an impact after not seeing the field as a rookie in 2024. Pat Freiermuth could very well emerge as the second option in the passing game after racking up a career-best 65 receptions last season.

The Steelers let Najee Harris walk in free agency and swiftly replaced him with rookie Kaleb Johnson, who figures to take over as the bell-cow running back in Pittsburgh’s two-man backfield. Flanked by big-play threat Jaylen Warren, Johnson should provide a similar punch to Harris with a little more pop potential. If Johnson pans out, the Steelers could very well boast one of the NFL’s better rushing attacks after finishing 11th in the NFL last season.

Defense

For much of 2024, the Steelers’ defense looked like its typical vaunted self, allowing a struggling offense to work through its issues while still collecting low-scoring wins. The end, though, is what stuck with Pittsburgh throughout the offseason and inspired it to retool a unit that gave up big chunks of yards and points to some of the NFL’s best quarterbacks in five straight losses to close out the season.

Up front, the Steelers have always been big, strong and tough. It’s Pittsburgh, after all. The Steelers, though, made a concerted effort to get even bigger and, more importantly, younger across the defensive line. First-round pick Derrick Harmon is the biggest headlining addition, and he’ll get an opportunity right away — thanks to the departure of veteran Larry Ogunjobi — to start on the opposite side of veteran Cam Heyward. Fifth-rounder Yahya Black, who checks in at 336 pounds, will provide some nice depth behind nose tackle Keeanu Benton, who had a solid second season. There’s no telling when Heyward, 36, will let up, but if his performance in 2024 was any indication, it won’t be anytime soon. The 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year is coming off one of his best seasons to date and is poised for another big campaign as he enters his 15th with the black and gold.

Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt

T.J. Watt

Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh didn’t change much in its linebacking corps because it didn’t need to. Led by All-Everything pass rusher T.J. Watt, the Steelers have a group that is chock full of players currently in their prime. Watt was his usual self in 2024, collecting 11.5 sacks and an NFL-best six forced fumbles, but his production dropped off a bit during the Steelers’ miserable finish. That will be something to monitor in 2025, as Pittsburgh could look to move him around on defense in hopes of avoiding constant double-teams. Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig relish those double-teams and look to maximize their opportunities when so much attention is devoted to Watt. Fourth-round pick and former All-American Jack Sawyer seemed destined to be a Steeler, and it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which he doesn’t have a significant role on the defense. Manning the middle of the unit is ultra-reliable Patrick Queen, who was a mainstay and tackle machine for Pittsburgh in his first year with the team.

The Steelers have made a habit of adding a veteran defensive back with some gas left in the tank, and they did it again for 2025 with the signing of “Big Play” Darius Slay. The Super Bowl champion cornerback is entering his 13th season and is still playing at a high level — perhaps not quite as high as previous years, but still an upgrade across from Joey Porter Jr. Minkah Fitzpatrick is coming off another Pro Bowl season, but the big plays he used to make have been fewer and farther between. Since 2022, when he had six interceptions, Fitzpatrick has picked off just one pass and forced one fumble.

Specialists

It will be hard to top what Chris Boswell accomplished in 2024, but he’ll be looking to at least maintain thar clip. The 11-year veteran made a franchise-record 41 field goals, including 13 from 50-plus yards, serving as a difference-maker for a Steelers team that needed any points it could get. There’s a bit of uncertainty at punter, as veteran Cameron Johnston will be looking to return from a knee injury that kept him out of all but one game in 2024. Corliss Waitman, who filled in for Johnston last year, will be waiting in the wings.

Final Analysis

The Steelers can never be dismissed, but there’s just so much uncertainty at the game’s most important position. The Steelers always seem to find their way to a winning record, and they’ll probably do it again in 2025, but getting over the hump that’s dogged them in recent years would require a big bounce-back from Rodgers — or an unexpectedly big season from Rudolph — and more consistency down the stretch from Pittsburgh’s veteran-heavy defense.