The Pittsburgh Steelers were surprisingly AFC North champs last season with Aaron Rodgers under center, but the Steelers weren't seen as genuine contenders.
A 10-7 record saw Pittsburgh be bounced out of the playoffs in the first game, so there likely isn't much hope of the Steelers repeating as champs in 2026.
Why? Because the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals likely won't be "as bad" again, and if both of those teams are firing, Pittsburgh isn't in the same weight class.
But if fans were holding out hope of a division repeat for Pittsburgh, NFL.com's Kevin Patra might have just ended it.
"The Ravens and Bengals each improved this offseason. A new coaching staff in Baltimore should bring life to the team, particularly on defense," Patra wrote. "Cincinnati bolstered a moribund defense significantly. If Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson stay healthy, 10 wins isn’t taking the division again."
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Can Steelers surpass the 10-win mark?
I find it hard to believe they can, even with Rodgers returning, simply because the Ravens and Bengals split with Pittsburgh last season, even with their troubles.
So, if both teams get things back on track, you can easily see the Steelers going 0-4 in those games.
Of course, Pittsburgh isn't without hope as you never know how things are going to shake out over the course of the season, but one thing is for sure: if Pittsburgh is to win 10 or more games in 2026, Rodgers has to return, and likely play better than he did last season.
Can he? Color me skeptical on that.
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