If you’re checking your phone today, Sunday, January 18, 2026, wondering what's the score of the Steelers, I have some tough news for you. There is no score. The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't playing today because their season hit a brick wall exactly six days ago.
While the rest of the NFL is battling it out in the Divisional Round—with the Texans taking on the Patriots and the Bears facing the Rams—the Black and Gold are already back in Pittsburgh, likely packing up their lockers. It’s a quiet Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.
Honestly, it feels a bit surreal. Just two weeks ago, this city was buzzing after that wild 26-24 win over the Ravens to clinch the AFC North. But the postseason is a different beast, and the Steelers found that out the hard way.
What really happened in the Wild Card round?
The last time the Steelers took the field was Monday, January 12, 2026. They hosted the Houston Texans in a game that was supposed to be Aaron Rodgers’ big "I'm still here" moment. Instead, it turned into a nightmare.
The final score was 30-6, Houston.
It wasn't even as close as the score looked, which is saying something. For three quarters, the Steelers’ defense actually held tough. They went into the fourth quarter trailing only 7-6. You could feel the tension in the stadium—that classic, grinding Pittsburgh playoff atmosphere where one big play changes everything.
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But then the wheels didn't just come off; they disintegrated.
Rodgers, who was brought in to provide veteran stability, had a disastrous final frame. He threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. Watching Sheldon Rankins rumble 33 yards with a fumble return for a score basically sucked the oxygen out of the building. By the time Mason Rudolph came in to finish the game, the stands were already thinning out.
The 2025 season by the numbers
If you look back at how they got here, the season was a total rollercoaster. They finished the regular season 10-7, which sounds decent, but it was a struggle every single week.
- Week 1: A narrow 34-32 win over the Jets.
- The Dublin Trip: They beat the Vikings 24-21 in Ireland (Week 4), which was probably the peak of the season's vibes.
- The Late Surge: They won four of their last five, including that emotional Week 18 win over Baltimore to steal the division.
But against Houston’s top-ranked defense, none of that mattered. The Steelers couldn't convert a third down to save their lives in the first half. Aaron Rodgers finished with only 146 passing yards on 33 attempts. That is... not great.
The Mike Tomlin bombshell
The reason you aren't seeing a what's the score of the Steelers update today isn't just because they lost. It’s because the entire foundation of the team just shifted.
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On Tuesday, the day after the loss, Mike Tomlin did the unthinkable. He stepped down. After 19 seasons, the longest-tenured coach in the league decided he’d had enough. It’s the end of an era that most fans under the age of 30 can’t even remember being without.
Tomlin’s exit has triggered a massive domino effect. Reports are already circulating that Aaron Rodgers only wanted to be in Pittsburgh to play for Tomlin. With the coach gone, the 42-year-old quarterback is reportedly weighing retirement or asking for a release.
Basically, the Steelers are entering the most uncertain offseason in decades. They need a head coach, they likely need a new starting quarterback, and they need to figure out why their playoff win drought has now stretched nearly ten years.
Why the Texans were just better
You have to give credit where it's due. DeMeco Ryans has that Houston team playing like they’re shot out of a cannon. C.J. Stroud didn't have to be a superhero because his defense, led by Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., absolutely lived in the Pittsburgh backfield.
The Texans earned their first-ever road playoff win in franchise history on the Steelers' turf. That's a bitter pill for Pittsburgh fans to swallow.
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What’s next for the Black and Gold?
Since there’s no game to watch today, the focus shifts entirely to the "Coach Search 2026." The team has already started the interview process, with names like Ben Johnson and various defensive coordinators being floated around.
If you're a fan, here’s what you should be watching over the next few weeks instead of the scoreboard:
- The Retirement Watch: Does Rodgers stay or go? If he leaves, the Steelers are looking at a very thin QB room.
- The Coaching Search: This isn't just a hire; it's a culture shift. Whoever follows Tomlin has massive shoes to fill.
- Draft Capital: With the 10-7 finish and a division title, they won't have a top-10 pick, which makes finding a franchise QB in the draft a bit more complicated.
It’s a weird feeling to be out of it this early when the division title felt like such a massive win. But that’s the NFL. One bad quarter in January and you’re spending your Sunday afternoon watching other teams play on your TV.
So, while the answer to what's the score of the Steelers is currently "zero" (and will be until August), the drama off the field is just getting started. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, start tracking the head coach interview schedule. That's the only "score" that matters right now.
Keep an eye on the official team announcements this week; we're likely to see the first round of formal interviews wrap up by Friday.