If you're asking when does the Steelers play, I have some tough news to break. The Pittsburgh Steelers just wrapped up their 2025-2026 campaign in a way that’s becoming all too familiar for the North Side faithful. Their season ended on Monday, January 12, 2026, with a stinging 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card round.
Right now, there are no games.
The lockers at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex are being cleared out. Aaron Rodgers is weighing his future. T.J. Watt is understandably frustrated. Basically, the "Steelers schedule" is currently blank until the 2026 preseason kicks off in August. But don't click away yet, because the dates for next year are actually more predictable than you’d think, even if the NFL hasn't officially stamped them.
The Post-Season Void: Why the Schedule is Empty
Honestly, it's a weird time to be a fan. You go from the high-stakes intensity of a Monday Night playoff game at Acrisure Stadium to... nothing. Because the Steelers lost to Houston, they won't be playing in the Divisional Round this weekend (January 17-18). While the Texans head to New England to face the Patriots, Mike Tomlin is left answering questions about his seven-game playoff losing streak.
It’s a brutal stat.
Tomlin has now tied Marvin Lewis for the longest postseason losing skid in NFL history. If you're looking for the next time they hit the turf, you’re looking at a seven-month wait. The NFL usually releases the official 17-game schedule in mid-May. That’s when we’ll get the exact times and "prime time" designations.
When Does The Steelers Play in 2026? What We Know
Even without the official calendar, we know exactly who they are playing. The NFL's scheduling formula is like clockwork. Since the 2025 season is over for Pittsburgh, we look ahead to the 2026 opponents.
The Steelers will play their usual AFC North rivals—the Ravens, Bengals, and Browns—both home and away. That's six games right there. Beyond that, they are slated to face the AFC South and the NFC South.
Home Opponents at Acrisure Stadium
- Baltimore Ravens (The annual slugfest)
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Atlanta Falcons
- Carolina Panthers
- Denver Broncos
- Houston Texans (A chance for revenge after the playoff blowout)
- Indianapolis Colts
Away Games on the Road
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- New England Patriots
- New Orleans Saints
- Philadelphia Eagles (The battle for Pennsylvania)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tennessee Titans
One thing to keep an eye on: the Steelers have an extra road game this year. The NFL rotates that 17th game, and for 2026, the AFC North is "away" for the inter-conference matchup. That means nine road games and eight home games. Not ideal for a team trying to break a playoff curse.
The Aaron Rodgers Factor
You can't talk about the upcoming schedule without talking about the quarterback. Aaron Rodgers finished the Wild Card game with 146 yards and two brutal fourth-quarter interceptions. He looked every bit his age.
"I'm not going to make any emotional decisions," Rodgers told reporters after the Houston game.
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If he returns, the "When Does The Steelers Play" question becomes a national TV magnet. Networks love Rodgers. If he retires or the Steelers move on to someone like Mason Rudolph or a rookie, expect fewer 8:15 PM ET starts. The NFL schedule-makers prioritize stars. Without a big name under center, Pittsburgh might find themselves buried in the 1:00 PM Sunday slot more often than fans are used to.
Key Dates for the 2026 Offseason
Since you can't watch them play today, you’ve gotta watch the calendar. Here is how the next few months shake out for the Black and Gold:
- Late February 2026: The NFL Scouting Combine. This is where the search for the next franchise QB or offensive line help starts.
- March 2026: Free Agency begins. This is huge. Can the Steelers snag a veteran corner?
- April 23–25, 2026: The NFL Draft.
- May 2026: This is the big one. The official schedule release. This is when we find out if they open at home or have to travel to Philly in September.
- August 2026: Training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe and the first preseason games.
Why the Steelers Struggle in January
It's sort of a mystery, right? They consistently win nine or ten games. They haven't had a losing season under Tomlin. But when they get to the playoffs, the wheels fall off. Against the Texans, they managed only 175 total yards.
The defense, led by T.J. Watt, usually keeps them in games. But the offense has been stagnant for years. Whether it was the late-era Ben Roethlisberger years, the Kenny Pickett experiment, or this recent run with Rodgers, the results are the same.
Wait.
Fans are getting restless. You could hear the boos at Acrisure during the final minutes of the Houston game. The next time the Steelers play, the atmosphere might be a bit more "prove it" than "here we go."
Actionable Steps for Fans
- Sync Your Calendar: Once the schedule drops in May, use the official Steelers app to sync the dates directly to your phone.
- Ticket Strategy: If you're planning on going to the Philly or New England road games, book travel early. Those "inter-state" or "classic rivalry" games sell out the fastest.
- Draft Watch: Keep an eye on the 2026 Draft order. Since the Steelers exited in the Wild Card round with a 10-7 regular-season record, they’ll likely be picking in the late teens or early twenties.
The wait for the next kickoff is long, but for a city that lives and breathes football, the offseason is just a different kind of season. Keep your eyes on the May schedule release to see exactly when the quest for a seventh ring begins again.