The 2023 NFL schedule will be released Thursday night and when that happens, odds are good that it will show the Pittsburgh Steelers having a home game in Week 1. If that’s indeed the case, it will mark the first time that the Steelers have had a Week 1 home game since 2014 when they hosted the Cleveland Browns at Heinz Field. They won that Sunday, September 7th game, 30-27.
Presumably, scheduling conflicts with the Pittsburgh Pirates have played a factor in the Steelers not having a Week 1 home game in nearly a decade. This year, however, the Pirates are on the road against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, September 10th, the NFL’s likely opening weekend. It’s worth noting, however, that the Pirates have a home game scheduled for Monday, September 11th, so if the Steelers Week 1 game is on that night, odds are good it would be on the road.
The Steelers streak of eight consecutive Week 1 road games is the longest current one in the NFL. Should that streak extend to nine games this year, it would tie them with the San Francisco 49ers (1973-1981) as the fourth longest since the 1970 merger.
To put this streak into perspective, 2023 first-round draft pick, tackle Broderick Jones, was just 13 years old the last time the Steelers opened a regular season at home. Additionally, Joey Porter Sr., the father of the Steelers 2023 second selection, cornerback Joey Porter Jr., was a defensive assistant coach on that 2014 team.
Assuming the Steelers do get to open at home in 2023, their opponent will be one of nine teams: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, or Tennessee Titans. Interestingly enough, the Steelers have only opened a regular season at home against an NFC team just once while playing in their current venue, Acrisure Stadium, which was formerly named Heinz Field. That one time was in 2010 when they hosted the Atlanta Falcons. They won that game 15-9 in overtime.
Since 2001, the Steelers have had nine Week 1 home games and three of those contests included the Titans as the visiting opponent. In total, the Steelers are 8-1 in Week 1 home openers while playing in their current venue. Their lone loss was to the Titans in 2013, 16-9.
By the way, the Steelers have never had a Week 1 Monday night game since they moved from Three Rivers Stadium. Their last Week 1 Monday night home game was in 1977 when they hosted the 49ers, and they won that contest 27-0. The Steelers are also 18-10 in Week 1 home games since the 1970 merger.
If you want to remember the Steelers’ last home game in Week One of the regular season, that 2014 contest against the Browns, check out highlights here.
