The AFC North is considered to be the toughest division in football. That doesn’t mean it’s always the best, but all four of its teams constantly batter each other. Since its creation in 2002, the Steelers have never finished last in the division. In fact, the last time the Steelers finished last in their division was 1989. While the team looks better this year than it has the past few years, one former NFL player believes that the Steelers could be in for quite the fight to maintain that record.
LaVar Arrington played linebacker in the NFL from 2000-2006, going to three Pro Bowls and being named second-team All-Pro twice. On a recent episode of the FOX Sports Radio show 2 Pros & A Cup Of Joe, Arrington stated that he doesn’t see the Steelers as a true threat to win the AFC North. Instead, he slots them in the middle, potentially fighting the Cincinnati Bengals to avoid the basement.
“I think that the Steelers are a mid-tier team,” said Arrington, a FOX NFL analyst. “I don’t think that they’re a divisional winner this year. I think they’re mid-tier, so they’re second or third. If you guys and betting people have the Cleveland Browns winning it, that means to me that Cincy and the Steelers are fighting for third and fourth.”
Arrington isn’t the first analyst this offseason to say he doesn’t see the Steelers winning their division. But that kind of talk has stuck to Mike Tomlin’s squad before, which has proven capable of beating low expectations. The Steelers haven’t won the division since 2020, but they’ve still managed to consistently stay in the mix. Though the Baltimore Ravens controlled the division in 2023, the Steelers still went 5-1 in the AFC North.
Arrington also isn’t saying that he thinks the Steelers will be terrible. He sees them as a middle-of-the-pack team, an understandable assessment considering how many changes they’ve made this offseason. Those changes have all been good, but it may take some time for all the new pieces to jell. If they end the season second in the division and in the playoffs, no one will be too angry, especially with how good the other three teams are likely going to be.
“I feel like Pittsburgh falls into that second space, and then Cincinnati and Cleveland fight it out for that third,” Arrington said. “I don’t say that as it’s not a successful season for Cleveland or Cincinnati. I’m just saying I think Pittsburgh and Baltimore, if history serves correctly, outside of recently, you’re looking at a Baltimore team that should be better. And you’re looking at a Pittsburgh team that should be good enough. They’ve been good enough as of late.”
Really, Arrington’s scenario is probably the most likely one, and is probably even more favorable to the Steelers than many others because he has them being better than the Bengals. Considering the Bengals have their superstar quarterback paired with an unreal talent at wide receiver, it wouldn’t be foolish to place them above the Steelers.
The NFL season is long, and anything can happen so it’s not impossible that the Steelers will win the division. Injuries happen and player performances will surprise and disappoint. The important part to note is that the Steelers have been through all of that lately.
Last year, they made the playoffs despite starting three different quarterbacks. It’s a battle-tested club. They’re prepared for the ugly and dirty wins they may need to pull out late in the season, experience that will be key in the rough-and-tumble AFC North.
