It’s been almost 15 years since the Pittsburgh Steelers played in a Super Bowl. It’s also been even longer since they actually won a championship. Not having won a playoff game since the 2016 season, the Steelers are pushing to change that. They want to be Super Bowl contenders this year. However, Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw isn’t picking his former team to win the big game this year.
“It’s not gonna be the Chiefs,” Bradshaw said recently on Newsweek’s YouTube channel. “I think Baltimore-Buffalo in the [AFC] championship game. I think Baltimore’s gonna get over the hump this year. I’m pulling for Pittsburgh, always will.
“I don’t think they’re ready yet. Cincinnati, I don’t think their defense is good enough yet. It’s Cincinnati, it’s Kansas City, Buffalo, Baltimore. Then you’ve got Pittsburgh with Aaron Rodgers. They could shock some people. Don’t hold me to this, I’m going Baltimore.”
Bradshaw’s reasoning for not picking the Steelers makes sense. Yes, they improved their team, but they still might not be able to compete with the best of the best in the AFC. Look at how they got pushed around by the Chiefs and Ravens last year.
With Rodgers under center, could things be different for the Steelers this year? Maybe, but it’s a little premature to call them championship contenders. Rodgers hasn’t even played a game for Pittsburgh yet. While he looked good in training camp, the regular season is a different beast entirely.
Also, Rodgers isn’t the only new player the Steelers acquired. Their made a lot of changes this offseason, and it remains to be seen how all their pieces fit together.
Meanwhile, the Ravens look poised to be one of the best teams in the league again. Last year, after sorting their defense out, they looked like a juggernaut. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry gave Baltimore one of the NFL’s most potent offenses. They’ve retained most of their core pieces, adding some promising new talent as well. It’s easy to see why Bradshaw believes in them as Super Bowl contenders.
However, the NFL season is often unpredictable. Perhaps the Steelers will surprise people, like Bradshaw said. Underdogs have gone on to become champions before. We’ll see if Bradshaw’s prediction comes true, or if a surprise Super Bowl winner emerges.
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