Steelers 2026 NFL Schedule Released for Drew Allar, Mike McCarthy's 1st Year amid Aaron Rodgers Buzz

The Pittsburgh Steelers have gotten their first official look at what the post-Mike Tomlin era will look like.

The Steelers know what to expect under new head coach Mike McCarthy now that the team's 2026 season schedule has been released.

Full schedule information available on the team's official website.

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Analysis

This season will feature the Steelers' usual AFC North battles alongside matchups with the AFC South and NFC South.

The Steelers rank right in the middle of the NFL in terms of strength of schedule as the team prepares to face opponents that averaged a .495 win percentage last season.

The Steelers are also set to play an additional away game this season after getting an extra game at home in 2025.

Pittsburgh will at least benefit from easier travel on a schedule that doesn't involve matchups with any West Coast teams.

The Steelers may know what the upcoming schedule looks like, but this team has plenty of questions left to answer this offseason.

The biggest question surrounds Aaron Rodgers, on whom the Steelers placed a UFA tender on April 28, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

That tender means Rodgers would only be able to sign with the Steelers once training camp begins this July in Pittsburgh, per Schefter.

Whether Rodgers ultimately signs with the Steelers will determine whether the team is heading into this schedule with a veteran quarterback under center or whether the franchise will find a starter in a room staffed by Mason Rudolph and two rookies in Will Howard and Drew Allar.

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Pivotal matchups

The Steelers' bid for a playoff spot last season came down to a Week 18 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

Both AFC North teams are heading into the 2026 season with different looks after moving on from their respective head coaches.

McCarthy will now be tasked with taking on first-year head coach Jesse Minter, who stepped in for John Harbaugh after previously leading the Los Angeles Chargers' defense.

The Cleveland Browns are also hoping to improve next season under new head coach Todd Monken and an incoming draft class headlined by offensive tackle Spencer Fano and wide receiver Kevin Concepcion, which earned an A in Bleacher Report's post-2026 NFL draft grades.

While finding ways to win against these retooling division opponents will be key to the Steelers' playoff hopes, some of the team's toughest matchups will likely take place outside the AFC North.

The Steelers are set for some potentially difficult road games against teams pushing for a playoff bid next season in the Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles.

Add in home games against 2025 postseason contenders in the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans, and McCarthy will be tasked with a tricky schedule in his first head coaching campaign since he was leading the Dallas Cowboys in 2024.

One game to keep an eye on will be the Steelers' international matchup against the New Orleans Saints in Week 7, taking place in Stade de France in Paris.

The Steelers also went to Dublin last September, where they defeated the Minnesota Vikings during the NFL's first regular-season game in Ireland. These overseas trips could be a regular occurrence now that commissioner Roger Goodell has said he wants each team to play at least one international matchup per season.