A five-game losing streak and historic collapse that ended in being dominated in the Wild Card Round by the Baltimore Ravens would suggest putting the Pittsburgh Steelers in the bottom half of the NFL offseason power rankings. But the Steelers showed enough staying power to finish above-average, placing 14th in Eric Edholm’s list now that the entire 2024 season is in the books. Though even he admits this slotting might be optimistic.
“Slotting Pittsburgh at 14 feels quite shaky, but it was one of the best handful of teams at one point last season. And Mike Tomlin is the great equalizer, having completed his 18th straight .500-or-above campaign, even if the allure of that incredible mark likely has worn off for most Steelers fans. The last few years have felt like more of a high-wire act for Tomlin, involving an increased degree of difficulty, and it’s been fairly impressive. Now we wonder if Pittsburgh will ever rise to the level of championship contenders again.”
For a moment, the Steelers had Super Bowl buzz thanks to a 10-3 start and comfortable first-place standing in the AFC North. That all changed as Pittsburgh faced the meat of its schedule, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, and Cincinnati Bengals to close out the regular season. The offense shriveled up and turned the ball over too often while the defense suffered communication breakdowns and couldn’t stop the run.
While Pittsburgh has been steady enough to win nine or 10 games in each of the last four seasons, it feels stuck in football purgatory. Good enough to beat up on the NFL bottom dwellers, not good enough to compete with the AFC’s true contenders. Shedding that status will be difficult in 2025 without a dramatic upgrade at quarterback, the Steelers likely to run it back with either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. Even if they turn to an external option, their Super Bowl odds aren’t expected to move.
The Steelers are second in the division in Edholm’s rankings. They’re one spot ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals, surprising considering the hot finish the Bengals had, and well ahead of the Cleveland Browns, who ranked dead last in the league.
The Baltimore Ravens are the division leaders taking the No. 5 overall spot. The Philadelphia Eagles are in first place followed by the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. With three of the top five teams representing the AFC, it’s a reminder of the tough path the Steelers have to forge forward.
