The Steelers will play one nationally televised preseason game and will host the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers at Heinz Field during the 2010 preseason, the team announced Wednesday.
The Steelers will open the 2010 preseason at home against the Detroit Lions the weekend of Aug. 13-15. It will be the first time the Lions have visited Heinz Field in the preseason since 2001 when the Steelers hosted Detroit in the stadium\’s inaugural game.
“We think it is fitting to open our 2010 preseason schedule against Dick LeBeau\’s former team the week after he will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” said Steelers President Art Rooney II. “It will also be the first opportunity for our fans to see us in game action as we prepare for what should be an exciting 2010 season.”
The Steelers will conclude the preseason at home in Week 4, likely on Sept. 2, when they host the Carolina Panthers in a locally televised game at Heinz Field.
The Steelers\’ preseason road schedule includes a Week 2 (Aug. 20-22) visit to the New York Giants. It will be the Giants\’ first home game in their new stadium and the first preseason game between the teams since the Steelers visited the Giants in 1993.
Incidentally, the Steelers hosted the Giants in the inaugural preseason game at Three Rivers Stadium in 1970.
The Steelers\’ lone nationally televised game will take place on Sunday, Aug. 29 (Week 3), when the Steelers play the Broncos in the preseason for the first time in team history. The game will kick off at 8 p.m. at Invesco Field at Mile High and will be televised on Fox.
The times and dates for the Steelers\’ three locally televised games have yet to be finalized.