The Pittsburgh Steelers’ final preseason contest against the Detroit Lions will take place at 1 PM/ET. on Aug. 24, the team announced today. The game will be on the road at Ford Field.
Our preseason finale is set 🙌@laurelhighlands | 📝: https://t.co/RjkbCViF5O pic.twitter.com/hwNmUIGT3K
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) May 21, 2024
The date of that game was previously TBD, but the Steelers will get a daytime Saturday game against the Lions. As it’s the team’s final preseason game, we’ll likely see the starters but not for long. Against Atlanta last season in Pittsburgh’s preseason finale, Kenny Pickett threw just four passes and Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren combined for six carries in a 24-0 win over the Falcons.
It comes exactly a week after Pittsburgh’s second preseason game, which once again will come against the Buffalo Bills. The Steelers’ preseason opener will take place on Aug. 9 at 6 PM/ET against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium.
With the NFL moving to a 17-game schedule in 2021, the preseason was shortened from four games to three to build in rest for players and reduce injuries with the addition of an extra regular-season game. Last season, the Steelers went 3-0 in the preseason with wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bills and Falcons.
Pittsburgh previously played the Lions in the 2022 preseason, a game it won, 19-9. The last time the two met up in the regular season, it was a 16-16 tie in the 2021 season. Mason Rudolph started that game in place of Ben Roethlisberger, who was sidelined with COVID-19.
The Steelers do not play any team they place in the preseason in the regular season in 2024, although if they make the playoffs, they could meet the Bills or the Texans, as both teams are expected to be in contention in the AFC. The preseason should be a good test for the Steelers with three opponents that all made the playoffs last season, although it’s important not to get too wrapped up in preseason results. Pittsburgh’s preseason performance last season built a lot of goodwill among the fan base over how the offense could look, only for the Steelers to put up a Week 1 stinker against the San Francisco 49ers.
