The Steelers are keeping their eyes on the situation in France, but their travel plan for Paris is already set.
Pittsburgh is scheduled to face the New Orleans Saints in Week 7 at Stade de France, and head coach Mike McCarthy said the team has already been in touch with the league office as part of the usual process for international games. He said the organization feels good about how everything is lined up.
“I'm obviously very aware, that’s part or the normal planning anytime you go abroad," McCarthy said. "The team is excited about playing over there….we had a Zoom call today with the league office, that’s normal protocol. We have a lot of confidence in our plan.”
The backdrop in France has been unsettled, with anti-government protests continuing across the country. According to USA Today, more than 2,000 people were arrested over the weekend as riots turned violent.
The demonstrations started with high school and university students pushing for more education funding and better school conditions, and later expanded to include labor unions, farmers and other workers’ groups. Rising living costs have also been a major part of the protests.
Even with that unrest, the NFL said its plans for the game remain on track. In a statement over the weekend, the league said it is continuing to work with local authorities on safety and operations.
"Preparations continue as scheduled for NFL events and the game at Stade de France next Sunday," the NFL said, per ESPN's Katherine Terrell. "We continue to work closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters.
We are also providing the two clubs with regular updates. There's been no disruption or impact at league sites."
On the field, Pittsburgh is rolling into the trip after a comeback 26-19 overtime win on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That moved the Steelers to 4-2, leaving them in a three-way tie atop the AFC North.
Cleveland owns the division tiebreaker at the moment because the Browns are 2-0 in the division, while Pittsburgh sits at 1-1 and Baltimore is 0-1 after losing to Cleveland last weekend.
The Steelers will wait a little longer before heading overseas. They are set to leave for France on Thursday, October 22, while the Saints have already arrived in Paris.
That delayed departure is the same approach Pittsburgh used before last year’s game in Dublin, Ireland against the Minnesota Vikings, and it worked out then with a 24-21 win at Croke Park.
McCarthy said the timing is meant to keep the routine as steady as possible, even with the unusual setting. He pointed to the normal weekly flow, the return trip from Tampa, and the basics of preparation as the reason for sticking to the plan.
“Just like anything, when the schedule comes out we’re on a 7-day week flow here," McCarthy said. "Played yesterday in Tampa, had to travel back, so that factors into it...
Whether you’re playing in the Super Bowl or you're playing a Monday night game, you look at all of those things and the reality of it is I've always tried to stick to the basics. The hydration, the sleep, just to give the men the best opportunity to prepare and perform while staying in the normal flow of operation as possible."
In Other News...
Steelers Have A Buy-Low Backfield Option Worth Watching In New York
With Jaylen Warren holding up the Pittsburgh backfield and Rico Dowdle back in the mix after his injury, there is no obvious urgency on the surface for the Steelers to go shopping. Still, the kind of roster move that can matter in November often starts with a team noticing a player it likes who is becoming available for a different reason, and New York has at least created that kind of opening with Cam Skattebo. The rookie had drawn attention earlier, but his role has been trimmed enough that teams around the league are watching to see whether the Giants are willing to listen before the trade deadline.
For Pittsburgh, the appeal is straightforward enough: a back with some intrigue, a manageable price, and a chance to add another layer to a run game that has already settled into a workable rhythm. The question is how far the Steelers would be willing to go if New York decides it is open for business, and whether a player who looked like a longer-term piece only recently is now suddenly available in a deal that would be easy to justify for both sides. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Just Found A Quick Answer To Their WR Problem
The Steelers moved quickly to patch a thinning wide receiver room by bringing back Marquez Valdes-Scantling, a familiar face who already spent part of the 2025 season in Pittsburgh. With the group suddenly short on depth, the move gives the offense another veteran option to add alongside DK Metcalf, Germie Bernard and Kaden Wetjen while the team sorts through the injury fallout.
Valdes-Scantlings return is also a sign of how urgent the need has become after injuries hit the top of the depth chart. Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman Jr. are both sidelined, and Pittmans situation is the one that could keep the Steelers waiting longer than they would like, which makes this a short-term answer with a potentially bigger ripple effect depending on how long the roster stays stretched. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Are Forcing A Bigger AFC Conversation Around Aaron Rodgers
The AFC North is already shaping up as one of the leagues most crowded early-season races, with the Browns, Ravens and Steelers all sitting in the same general neighborhood in the standings. On First Things First, the division drew plenty of attention for how tightly packed it is, with Baltimore described as the most balanced team and Cleveland still earning notice as one of the early surprises.
Pittsburgh, though, is starting to look like more than just a steady participant in that mess. The Steelers offense has improved under Mike McCarthy, and the broader conversation around Aaron Rodgers and the roster has begun to shift in a more confident direction. For a team trying to stay in step with Baltimore and keep pace in a tough division, that changing perception may end up mattering as much as the record itself. [Read more 🡒]