Honestly, if you ask any Steelers fan about the last time they saw Kansas City on the schedule, you’re probably going to get a heavy sigh and a look of pure exhaustion. It wasn't just a game. It was a reality check. When the Chiefs vs Steelers matchup kicked off on Christmas Day 2024, the vibes in Pittsburgh were actually... okay? The team was 10-3 at one point. People were talking about a deep run. Then the holidays hit, and Patrick Mahomes decided to play the role of the Grinch with clinical, soul-crushing precision.
The Chiefs walked into Acrisure Stadium and basically dismantled everything the Steelers had built over the first three months of the season. Final score: 29-10. But the score doesn't even tell the whole story. It was the way it happened. It was the "outclassed" feeling that Mike Tomlin later described as "bluntly" sucking.
Mahomes and the Art of the Pittsburgh Takedown
There’s a stat that keeps floating around, and it’s nightmare fuel for the North Side: Patrick Mahomes is 4-0 against the Steelers. In those four games, he has tossed 17 touchdowns and only one interception. One. That is an absurd level of dominance against a franchise that prides itself on "The Standard" and a defensive lineage involving names like Greene, Lambert, and Polamalu.
During that December 25 clash, Mahomes wasn't even at 100%. He was dealing with a lingering ankle injury from a previous game against Cleveland. Didn't matter. He came out and threw two touchdowns on the first two drives. He found Xavier Worthy. He found Justin Watson. He looked like he was playing a different sport than the guys in the black and gold jerseys.
The most iconic—or painful, depending on your zip code—moment came in the fourth quarter. Travis Kelce caught a 12-yard "flick" from Mahomes to seal the deal. That catch was Kelce’s 77th career touchdown, officially breaking Tony Gonzalez's franchise record. He celebrated by dunking the ball over the crossbar, a direct homage to Gonzalez. Even a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct felt like a victory lap. The Chiefs were having fun; the Steelers were just trying to survive.
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What Really Happened with the Pittsburgh Offense?
You’ve got to feel for Russell Wilson in this one. He had George Pickens back, and there was hope the vertical game would keep Kansas City’s defense honest. Instead, the Steelers looked like they were running through waist-deep snow.
They kept it close for a minute. It was 13-7, then 16-10. But here’s the thing: Pittsburgh never actually had the ball with a chance to lead in the second half. Not once. Every time they gathered a bit of momentum, Steve Spagnuolo’s defense clamped down. Trent McDuffie and the secondary were sticky, and even with Chris Jones sidelined with a calf injury, the Chiefs' front didn't budge.
Steelers fans have been debating the "three games in 11 days" excuse since the final whistle. It’s a brutal schedule, no doubt. But as McDuffie said after the game, "Three games in 11 days is crazy... but I thought we handled it very well." The contrast was jarring. One team looked rejuvenated by the pressure; the other looked like they were gasping for air.
The 2026 Fallout: A Seven-Game Ghost
Fast forward to right now, January 2026. The dust has settled on the 2025 season, and the picture isn't much prettier for Pittsburgh. They just got "throttled"—that’s the word the local papers used—by the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round, 30-6.
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Why does the Chiefs vs Steelers game from a year ago still matter? Because it was the start of a historic slide. That loss was part of a three-game losing streak to end 2024, and following the recent playoff exit, the Steelers have now lost seven straight postseason games. That ties Marvin Lewis for the longest playoff losing streak by an NFL coach.
The weight of that Christmas Day loss is still felt because it exposed the gap between "good enough to make the playoffs" and "championship caliber."
- The Quarterback Carousel: Aaron Rodgers came in on a one-year deal for 2025. He was supposed to be the fix. Instead, he got sacked four times by Houston and eventually replaced by Mason Rudolph in the fourth quarter of the playoff loss.
- The Defensive Burden: T.J. Watt is still a monster, but he’s frustrated. After the Houston loss, he told reporters the defeat was "extremely frustrating" and admitted he didn't have the answers anymore.
- The Mahomes Shadow: While the Steelers struggle to find an identity, the Chiefs have used that 2024 momentum to solidify a dynastic run. Even when Mahomes is rehabbing—as he is now, aiming for a Week 1 return in 2026—the infrastructure in KC remains the gold standard.
Misconceptions About the Rivalry
A lot of people think this is a "toss-up" rivalry because of the history. It’s not. Historically, Pittsburgh leads the all-time series 27-15. If you grew up in the 70s or 90s, you remember the Steelers dominating. But that’s ancient history in NFL terms.
The new reality is that Kansas City has won the last five meetings. The gap isn't just closing; it’s being erased. The Steelers haven't beaten the Chiefs since October 2017. To put that in perspective, Patrick Mahomes wasn't even the starter yet.
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Looking Toward the 2026 Schedule
So, what’s next? The 2026 opponents have already been determined. Because of the way the NFL scheduling formula works, the Steelers are slated to face the AFC West teams at home this coming season. That means another potential date with the Chiefs at Acrisure Stadium.
For Pittsburgh, this isn't just another game on the calendar. It’s a psychological hurdle. Until they can prove they can stop the Mahomes-to-Kelce connection—which is still going strong as Kelce recently surpassed 13,000 career receiving yards—they are going to be stuck in this "good but not great" loop.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you’re a bettor or just a die-hard fan trying to map out the next year, keep these factors in mind:
- Watch the Steelers' QB Situation: Rodgers is a "maybe" for 2026. If they don't find a long-term solution under center, the defensive output won't matter when they face high-scoring offenses like Kansas City.
- Monitor the Chiefs' Health: Mahomes is currently in rehab, calling it a "long process." Any delay in his return for the 2026 season opener changes the entire landscape of the AFC.
- The "Standard" vs. The "Results": Mike Tomlin is under more pressure than ever. The seven-game playoff losing streak is a massive elephant in the room. Watch for significant coaching staff changes this off-season specifically aimed at modernizing the offense.
- Draft Focus: Pittsburgh needs to get younger and faster in the secondary. The way Xavier Worthy and the Chiefs' speedsters exploited them in 2024 and 2025 shows a clear blueprint for how to beat them.
The Chiefs vs Steelers rivalry used to be about which defense could hit harder. Now, it’s about whether Pittsburgh can even stay on the same track as the Kansas City locomotive. The 29-10 Christmas Day game was the moment the world saw just how far apart these two legendary franchises have drifted.
To prep for the 2026 season, your best move is to track the Steelers' moves in the transfer portal and the draft. They need a total offensive reboot to compete with the AFC's elite. If they stand pat with the current roster, expect more of the same when the Chiefs come back to town.