With just two weeks left in the NFL regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting at 9-6 and heating up at exactly the right time. Riding a three-game win streak, they’ve positioned themselves not just for a playoff berth, but for a legitimate shot at the AFC North crown. And in a year where the AFC feels more wide open than it has in recent memory, Pittsburgh’s late-season surge couldn’t be more timely.
Mike Tomlin has this team locked in. This isn’t just a case of squeaking out wins - the Steelers are playing their most complete football of the season on both sides of the ball. The defense is flying around, making life miserable for opposing quarterbacks, and the offense is starting to find rhythm and identity when it matters most.
What makes this run even more intriguing? Pittsburgh will get to host a playoff game.
That’s a huge advantage in a city where playoff football is practically a religion. And under center, they’ve got a proven winner in Aaron Rodgers - a former Super Bowl champion who knows what it takes to navigate the chaos of January football.
His presence alone gives the Steelers a level of poise and experience that could prove critical in tight postseason matchups.
Even outside the locker room, there’s a growing belief in what Pittsburgh could do if they get hot at the right time. On a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers’ former head coach Mike McCarthy made his own holiday wish loud and clear: a Steelers Super Bowl run.
“I’m wishing for a Pittsburgh Super Bowl,” McCarthy said. “I think it’d be great to see the black and gold. I think it’d be awesome to see this team go on a run.”
And honestly, who could blame him? The Steelers haven’t hoisted the Lombardi Trophy since the 2008 season, and their last Super Bowl appearance came in the 2010 campaign.
It’s been nearly a decade since they’ve even won a playoff game - that last postseason victory came in the 2016 season. So yeah, a win in January would be a good place to start.
But this year feels different. There’s a toughness to this group, a sense of timing that’s hard to fake. If the Steelers can keep this momentum rolling into the postseason, they could be a problem - the kind of team no one wants to see in a win-or-go-home scenario.
The AFC is up for grabs. And if Pittsburgh keeps playing like this, don’t be surprised if they’re still standing deep into January - maybe even February.