2023_Pittsburgh_Steelers_season
2023 Pittsburgh Steelers season
91st season in franchise history
The 2023 season was the Pittsburgh Steelers' 91st in the National Football League (NFL), their 2nd under general manager Omar Khan and their 17th under head coach Mike Tomlin. With their third win of the season against the Ravens in Week 5, the Steelers reached 700 wins in the club's history, joining the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and New York Giants in reaching 700 franchise victories. With their Week 17 win over the Seattle Seahawks, the Steelers became the first team in AFC history to post 20 consecutive non-losing records. With a Week 18 win over the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers improved upon their 2022 record, and also qualified for the playoffs after a one-year absence (the first one without Ben Roethlisberger since 2002) the following day when the Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the Tennessee Titans. The Steelers were defeated in the Wild Card Round by the Buffalo Bills 31–17.
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| 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Owner | The Rooney Family |
| General manager | Omar Khan |
| Head coach | Mike Tomlin |
| Home field | Acrisure Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 10–7 |
| Division place | 3rd AFC North |
| Playoff finish | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Bills) 17–31 |
| Pro Bowlers | FS Minkah Fitzpatrick OLB T.J. Watt ST Miles Killebrew |
| AP All-Pros | EDGE T.J. Watt (1st team) ST Miles Killebrew (1st team) |
| Team MVP | OLB T.J. Watt |
| Team ROY | CB Joey Porter Jr. |
| Uniform | |
 | |
| |
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | Broderick Jones | OT | Georgia | from New England |
| 2 | 32 | Joey Porter Jr. | CB | Penn State | from Chicago |
| 2 | 49 | Keeanu Benton | NT | Wisconsin | |
| 3 | 80 | Traded to Carolina | |||
| 3 | 93 | Darnell Washington | TE | Georgia | from Carolina |
| 4 | 120 | Traded to New England | |||
| 4 | 132 | Nick Herbig | LB | Wisconsin | from Carolina |
| 5 | 151 | Traded to Seattle | |||
| 6 | 195 | Traded to Denver | |||
| 7 | 241 | Cory Trice | CB | Purdue | from Denver |
| 7 | 251 | Spencer Anderson | OL | Maryland | from LA Rams |
Notes
- Chicago traded their own second-round selection to Pittsburgh in exchange for wide receiver Chase Claypool.
- Pittsburgh traded their fifth-round selection to Seattle in exchange for cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon.
- Pittsburgh traded their sixth-round selection to Denver in exchange for linebacker Malik Reed and a seventh-round selection.
- Pittsburgh traded their seventh-round selection (234th overall) to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for wide receiver Allen Robinson and Los Angeles' seventh-round selection (251st overall)
- Pittsburgh traded their first-round selection (17th overall) and fourth-round selection (120th overall) to New England in exchange for New England's first-round selection (14th overall)
- Pittsburgh traded their third-round selection (80th overall) to Carolina for a third-round selection (93rd overall) and a fourth-round selection (132nd overall) which originally belonged to San Francisco.
Undrafted free agent additions
| 2023 Undrafted Free Agents | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | College | |
| WR | Jordan Byrd | San Diego State | |
| RB | Alfonzo Graham | Morgan State | |
| QB | Tanner Morgan | Minnesota | |
| DT | James Nyamwaya | Merrimack | |
| LB | David Perales | Fresno State | |
| FB | Monte Pottebaum | Iowa | |
| K | B. T. Potter | Clemson | |
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Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
The Steelers' preseason opponents and schedule were announced in the spring. All preseason games were televised on KDKA. Their finale against the Falcons was also broadcast nationally on NFL Network.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 11 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 27–17 | 1–0 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | August 19 | Buffalo Bills | W 27–15 | 2–0 | Acrisure Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 24 | at Atlanta Falcons | W 24–0 | 3–0 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Recap |
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 10 | San Francisco 49ers | L 7–30 | 0–1 | Acrisure Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 18 | Cleveland Browns | W 26–22 | 1–1 | Acrisure Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 24 | at Las Vegas Raiders | W 23–18 | 2–1 | Allegiant Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 1 | at Houston Texans | L 6–30 | 2–2 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 8 | Baltimore Ravens | W 17–10 | 3–2 | Acrisure Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | Bye | |||||
| 7 | October 22 | at Los Angeles Rams | W 24–17 | 4–2 | SoFi Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | October 29 | Jacksonville Jaguars | L 10–20 | 4–3 | Acrisure Stadium | Recap |
| 9 | November 2 | Tennessee Titans | W 20–16 | 5–3 | Acrisure Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 12 | Green Bay Packers | W 23–19 | 6–3 | Acrisure Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | November 19 | at Cleveland Browns | L 10–13 | 6–4 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | November 26 | at Cincinnati Bengals | W 16–10 | 7–4 | Paycor Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | December 3 | Arizona Cardinals | L 10–24 | 7–5 | Acrisure Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 7 | New England Patriots | L 18–21 | 7–6 | Acrisure Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 16 | at Indianapolis Colts | L 13–30 | 7–7 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 23 | Cincinnati Bengals | W 34–11 | 8–7 | Acrisure Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | December 31 | at Seattle Seahawks | W 30–23 | 9–7 | Lumen Field | Recap |
| 18 | January 6 | at Baltimore Ravens | W 17–10 | 10–7 | M&T Bank Stadium | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. San Francisco 49ers
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 10 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 30 |
| Steelers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Date: September 10
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Cloudy, 72 °F (22 °C)
- Game attendance: 67,679
- Referee: Alex Kemp
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver
- Recap, Game Book
The Steelers opened their season at home for the first time since 2014. The team was blown out by the 49ers 30–7, and suffered their worst loss at home since 2006. With the loss, the Steelers started 0–1.
Week 2: vs. Cleveland Browns
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browns | 3 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 22 |
| Steelers | 7 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 26 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Date: September 18
- Game time: 8:15 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Clear, 62 °F (17 °C)
- Game attendance: 67,576
- Referee: Ronald Torbert
- TV announcers (ABC): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Lisa Salters
- Recap, Game Book
The Steelers opened their season with two home games for the first time since 1997.
Alex Highsmith opened the scoring 9 seconds in with a 30-yard pick-six. However, just over 6 minutes later, Dustin Hopkins kicked a 43-yard field goal to cut Pittsburgh's lead to 4 points.
In the second quarter, the Steelers trailed for the first time when Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson hit Jerome Ford with a 4-yard touchdown pass followed by a two-point conversion to make the score 11–7 in favor of the Browns. Chris Boswell kicked a 52-yard field goal to bring Pittsburgh within one point. Kenny Pickett then hit George Pickens with a 71-yard touchdown pass to put the Steelers back up, 16–11. The Browns made it a 2-point game when Dustin Hopkins kicked a 55-yard field goal just before halftime.
In the third quarter, Chris Boswell pushed the Steelers' lead back to five points by converting a 50-yard field goal. However, Pierre Strong, Jr. ran for a 1-yard touchdown, with a 2-point conversion, to put the Browns up, 22–19, 1 minute and 46 seconds later.
In the fourth quarter, with 6:58 to go, T. J. Watt recorded a 16-yard fumble return for a touchdown, to reach the final score of 26–22 in favor of Pittsburgh.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 1–1. The Steelers' defense sacked Deshaun Watson 6 times for 25 yards.
Despite the win, the Steelers allowed 408 yards of offense and 20 first downs, while only picking up 255 yards of offense and 9 first downs.
Week 3: at Las Vegas Raiders
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 7 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 23 |
| Raiders | 7 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 18 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada
- Date: September 24
- Game time: 8:20 p.m. EDT/5:20 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
- Game attendance: 62,541
- Referee: Tra Blake
- TV announcers (NBC): Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark
- Recap, Game Book
The Steelers upset the Raiders, winning in Las Vegas for the first time ever under the new Raiders city moniker. They also beat the Raiders on the road for the first time since 1995 when the Raiders were based in Oakland. With the win, the Steelers improved to 2–1, and moved into a three-way tie for first in the AFC North with the Ravens and Browns. It was Kenny Pickett's first game of the season without throwing an interception, and his first career game with multiple TD passes. Also, with the win, the Steelers have won at least one road game against all other 15 AFC teams since Mike Tomlin's hiring.
Week 4: at Houston Texans
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Texans | 10 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 30 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
- Date: October 1
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 71,399
- Referee: Bill Vinovich
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta and Amanda Renner
- Recap, Game Book
The Steelers continued their road trip, traveling to take on the Texans in which would be their second loss of the season, being blown out 30–6. With the upset loss, the Steelers fell to 2–2. They lost to the Texans for just the third time ever. On a side note, T. J. Watt was able to witness his brother get inducted into the Houston Texans' Ring of Honor.
Week 5: vs. Baltimore Ravens
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravens | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Steelers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Date: October 8
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 53 °F (12 °C)
- Game attendance: 67,272
- Referee: Carl Cheffers
- TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn
- Recap, Game Book
The Steelers went home for Round 1 against the Ravens. The Ravens went up 10–0 in the second quarter before the Steelers managed to score the remaining points to win 17–10. The win improved them to 3–2 as they headed into their bye week.
Week 7: at Los Angeles Rams
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 24 |
| Rams | 0 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 17 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
- Date: October 22
- Game time: 4:05 p.m. EDT/1:05 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 74 °F (23 °C) (retractable roof open)
- Game attendance: 73,471
- Referee: Craig Wrolstad
- TV announcers (Fox): Adam Amin, Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver
- Recap, Game Book
Coming off of their bye week, the Steelers then went on the road to take on the Rams. After a scoreless first quarter, the Steelers scored first when Chris Boswell kicked a 53-yard field goal to make it 3–0. Though, the Rams would take the lead before halftime when their kicker Brett Maher tied the game with a 41-yard field goal, followed by a 31-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Tutu Atwell (with a failed PAT) to make it 9–3. In the third quarter, the Steelers retook the lead when Kenny Pickett ran for a 1-yard touchdown to make it 10–9. However, the Rams took the lead back when Darrell Henderson Jr. ran for a 1-yard touchdown (with a successful 2-point conversion) to make it 17–10. In the fourth quarter, it was all Steelers as they would win the game 24–17 with a pair of rushing touchdowns from Jaylen Warren from 13 yards out and Najee Harris from 3 yards out.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 4–2 and had defeated the Rams for the fifth time in a row.
Week 8: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaguars | 6 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 20 |
| Steelers | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
After a tough road win, the Steelers returned home for a game against the Jaguars. Brandon McManus got the Jaguars on the board 6–0 with field goals from 50 and 51 yards out. In the second quarter, the Steelers made it 6–3 when Chris Boswell kicked a 22-yard field goal of his own. However, McManus kicked his third field goal of the game from 38 yards out to put his team up 9–3 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Jaguars moved up by double digits when Travis Etienne caught a 56-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Lawrence (with a successful 2-point conversion) to make it 17–3. The Steelers responded later on in the quarter shortening the lead to 17–10 by way of Mitchell Trubisky's 22-yard touchdown pass to George Pickens. The Jaguars were able to seal the victory in the fourth quarter however with McManus kicking his fourth field goal of the day from 37 yards out to make the final score 20–10.
With the loss, the Steelers fell to 4–3.
Week 9: vs. Tennessee Titans
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titans | 3 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 16 |
| Steelers | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Date: November 2
- Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Mostly clear, 40 °F (4 °C)
- Game attendance: 65,969
- Referee: John Hussey
- TV announcers (WPXI/Prime Video): Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit and Kaylee Hartung
- Recap, Game Book
After a tough loss at home, the Steelers stayed at home for a Thursday Night game against the Titans. The Steelers scored first in the first quarter when Najee Harris ran for a 10-yard touchdown to make it 7–0. The Titans got on the board later on when Nick Folk kicked a 36-yard field goal to make it 7–3. In the second quarter, the Titans moved into the lead 10–7 by way of a 2-yard touchdown run by Derrick Henry. Though, the Steelers tied it at 10–10 when Chris Boswell kicked a 29-yard field goal. The Titans moved back into the lead at halftime Folk kicked another 36-yard field goal to make it 13–10. After the break, the Steelers tied it up in the third quarter 13–13 when Boswell kicked a 30-yard field goal. Later on though, the Titans took the lead back when Nick Folk kicked a 48-yard field goal to make the score 16–13. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers scored the eventual game-winning touchdown to make the final score 20–16. They narrowly escaped with the victory when Kwon Alexander intercepted a pass by Will Levis in the end zone with six seconds left in the game.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 5–3.
Week 10: vs. Green Bay Packers
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 7 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 19 |
| Steelers | 7 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 23 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Date: November 12
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 50 °F (10 °C)
- Game attendance: 67,617
- Referee: Scott Novak
- TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn
- Recap, Game Book
After yet another tough win, the Steelers stayed home for a game against the Packers. The Steelers scored first in the first quarter when Najee Harris ran for a 4-yard touchdown to take a 7–0 lead. The Packers were able to tie it up later on when Jordan Love found Romeo Doubs on an 8-yard pass to make it 7–7. The Steelers score twice in the second quarter to move up by 10: Jaylen Warren's 16-yard touchdown run, followed up by Chris Boswell's 42-yard field goal to make it 17–7. The Packers were able to come within 4 before halftime when Love connected with Jayden Reed for a 35-yard pass (with a failed PAT) to make it 17–13 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Packers went back to work taking a 2-point lead when Anders Carlson kicked 2 field goals from 31 and 28 yards out to make it 19–17. The Steelers retook the lead later on in the quarter when Boswell kicked a 49-yard field goal to make it 20–19. The Steelers wrapped up scoring of the game when Boswell kicked a 35-yard field goal to make it 23–19. The Packers got the ball back, but in a similar close ending to the Steelers' win over the Tennessee Titans the previous week, Damontae Kazee intercepted a potential game-winning touchdown pass by Love outside the Steelers end zone as time expired, sealing another narrow victory for the Steelers.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 6–3.
Week 11: at Cleveland Browns
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
| Browns | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
- Date: November 19
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Sunny, 48 °F (9 °C)
- Game attendance: 67,919
- Referee: Shawn Hochuli
- TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn
- Recap, Game Book
The Steelers then traveled to Cleveland for Round 2 against the 6–3 Browns. The first half scoring was all Browns as they led 10–0 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Steelers were able to cut that lead to 3 when Jaylen Warren ran for a 74-yard touchdown to make it 10–7. They tied it up at 10–10 when Chris Boswell kicked a 28-yard field goal. However, getting the ball back later on in the quarter, the Steelers' defense was unable to prevent the Browns' comeback when Dustin Hopkins kicked the game-winning 34-yard field goal to make the final score 13–10.
With the loss, the Steelers fell to 6–4 and third place in the AFC North. This would also be the final game for Matt Canada as the Steelers' offensive coordinator before his firing.
Week 12: at Cincinnati Bengals
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 16 |
| Bengals | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Date: November 26
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Rain, 48 °F (9 °C)
- Game attendance: 65,090
- Referee: Brad Rogers
- TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn
- Recap, Game Book
After a tough loss on the road, the Steelers headed southwest to Cincinnati for Round 1 against the Bengals. After a scoreless first quarter, the Steelers managed to take the lead in the second with Chris Boswell's 41-yard field goal to make it 3–0. The Bengals made it 7–3 at halftime when Jake Browning found Drew Sample on an 11-yard touchdown pass. The Steelers went back to work in the second half, scoring 3 straight times into the fourth quarter as they made it 16–7. The Bengals wrapped up the scoring of the game late in the quarter as Evan McPherson kicked a 47-yard field goal to make the final score 16–10.
Win the win, the Steelers improved to 7–4.
Week 13: vs. Arizona Cardinals
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
| Steelers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Date: December 3
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Mostly cloudy, 56 °F (13 °C)
- Game attendance: 66,436
- Referee: Land Clark
- TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Trent Green and Melanie Collins
- Recap, Game Book
After a tough road win, the Steelers returned home to take on the Cardinals. After the Steelers grabbed an early 3–0 lead by way of Chris Boswell's 29-yard field goal, the Cardinals scored 24 unanswered points well into the fourth quarter. The Steelers however were able to make the final score 24–10 when Mitchell Trubisky found Diontae Johnson on a 2-yard touchdown pass. The game featured 2 delays due to thunderstorms in the area.[1]
With the upset loss, the Steelers fell to 7–5.
Week 14: vs. New England Patriots
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriots | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Steelers | 3 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 18 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Date: December 7
- Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 42 °F (6 °C)
- Game attendance: 66,376
- Referee: Clay Martin
- TV announcers (WPXI/Prime Video): Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit and Kaylee Hartung
- Recap, Game Book
After a tough home loss, the Steelers stayed home for a Thursday Night duel against the Patriots. The Pats scored first when Bailey Zappe found Ezekiel Elliott on an 11-yard pass to make it 7–0. The Steelers made it 7–3 by way of Chris Boswell's 56-yard field goal later on in the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Patriots would score their remaining points of the entire game, making the lead 21–3 when Zappe connected with Hunter Henry on 2 touchdown passes from 8 and 24 yards. The Steelers managed to shorten the deficit at halftime when Mitchell Trubisky found Diontae Johnson on a 25-yard pass to make it 21–10. After a scoreless third quarter, the Steelers came within 3 in the fourth when Trubisky ran for 1-yard touchdown (with a successful 2-point conversion) to make it 21–18. However, the Steelers would fail to score again.
With the upset loss, the Steelers fell to 7–6. They also became the first team in NFL history to be above .500, play 2 consecutive games against teams 8 games below .500, and lose both of them. [2]
Week 15: at Indianapolis Colts
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Colts | 0 | 14 | 10 | 6 | 30 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Date: December 16
- Game time: 4:30 p.m. EST
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 64,171
- Referee: Adrian Hill
- TV announcers (KDKA/NFLN): Rich Eisen, Kurt Warner and Jamie Erdahl
- Recap, Game Book
After a couple of home losses, the Steelers traveled to take on the Colts. The Steelers would put up a promising 13–0 lead well into the second quarter. However, the Colts were able to score 30 consecutive points throughout the rest of the first and throughout all the second half, handing the Steelers a 30–13 loss.
With their third straight loss, the Steelers fell to 7–7. Combined with the Bengals' win over the Vikings earlier in the day, the Steelers dropped to last place in the AFC North. This became the Steelers' first loss against the Colts since 2008 and first loss against them on the road since 2005. Following the loss, the Steelers playoff chances dropped to 9%.[3]
Week 16: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Steelers | 7 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 34 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Date: December 23
- Game time: 4:30 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 49 °F (9 °C)
- Game attendance: 66,646
- Referee: Craig Wrolstad
- TV announcers (NBC): Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge, and Kathryn Tappen
- Recap, Game Book
After yet another tough loss, the Steelers returned home for game 2 against the Bengals. At halftime, the Steelers were able to build a 24–0 lead. In the third quarter, the Bengals finally scored when Jake Browning found Tee Higgins on an 80-yard touchdown pass (with a successful 2-point conversion) to make it 24–8. The Steelers however pulled away as Mason Rudolph connected with George Pickens on a 66-yard touchdown pass to make it 31–8. The Bengals ended the third quarter when Evan McPherson kicked a 35-yard field goal to make it 31–11. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers scored the only points as Chris Boswell kicked a 30-yard field goal to make the final score 34–11.
With their 3-game losing streak snapped, the Steelers improved to 8–7. They also swept the Bengals for the first time since 2019.
Week 17: at Seattle Seahawks
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 7 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 30 |
| Seahawks | 0 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 23 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
- Date: December 31
- Game time: 4:05 p.m. EST/1:05 p.m. PST
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 47 °F (8 °C)
- Game attendance: 68,735
- Referee: Shawn Hochuli
- TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Shannon Spake
- Recap, Game Book
After a huge win at home, the Steelers traveled west to take on the Seahawks. In the first quarter, the Steelers scored the only points, making it 7–0 by way of an 18-yard touchdown run by Jaylen Warren. In the second quarter, the Seahawks tied it up at 7–7 by way of Kenneth Walker III running for a 13-yard touchdown. The Steelers then moved ahead by 3 after Chris Boswell kicked a 39-yard field goal to make it 10–7. The Seahawks however moved into the lead when Geno Smith found Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a 12-yard touchdown pass to make it 14–10. A 9-yard touchdown run by Najee Harris gave the Steelers a 17–14 lead at halftime. In the third quarter, the Seahawks tied the game up at 17–17 when Jason Myers kicked a 43-yard field goal. The Steelers retook the lead when Harris ran for a 4-yard touchdown to make it 24–17. In the fourth quarter, the Seahawks came closer when Myers kicked a 42-yard field goal to make it 24–20. Boswell would make it 30–20 when he kicked 2 field goals from 26 and 21 yards out. Later on, Myers shortened the deficit to 7 with a 24-yard field goal to make it 30–23. The Steelers were then able to run down the Seahawks' defense and seal the victory.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 9–7. They also defeated the Seahawks on the road for the first time since 1983. With the Bengals' loss to the Chiefs, they assured a third place finish in the AFC North.
Week 18: at Baltimore Ravens
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
| Ravens | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
- Date: January 6
- Game time: 4:30 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Rain, 38 °F (3 °C)
- Game attendance: 70,355
- Referee: Brad Allen
- TV announcers (ESPN/ABC/ESPN+): Chris Fowler, Louis Riddick, Dan Orlovsky and Laura Rutledge
- Recap, Game Book
After a tough road win, the Steelers then traveled to Baltimore for Round 2 against the Ravens. In a game that meant possibly getting into the postseason for them, the Steelers would score in the first quarter to make it 7–0 by way of a Najee Harris 6-yard touchdown run. The Ravens tied it up in the second quarter for a 7–7 halftime lead when Tyler Huntley found Isaiah Likely on a 27-yard touchdown pass. After a scoreless third quarter, the Steelers made it 17–7 when Mason Rudolph found Diontae Johnson on a 71-yard touchdown pass, followed by Chris Boswell kicking a 25-yard field goal. The Ravens then made it 17–10 when Justin Tucker kicked a 36-yard field goal with 16 seconds left in the game. The Ravens failed to recover an onside kick, sealing the victory for the Steelers.
With this win, the Steelers ended the regular season with a 10–7 record and swept the Ravens for the third time in four years. With the Titans' win over the Jaguars the following day, the Steelers qualified for the postseason.
Standings
Division
| AFC North | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (1) Baltimore Ravens | 13 | 4 | 0 | .765 | 3–3 | 8–4 | 483 | 280 | L1 |
| (5) Cleveland Browns | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 3–3 | 8–4 | 396 | 362 | L1 |
| (7) Pittsburgh Steelers | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 5–1 | 7–5 | 304 | 324 | W3 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 1–5 | 4–8 | 366 | 384 | W1 |
Conference
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division leaders | |||||||||||
| 1 | Baltimore Ravens | North | 13 | 4 | 0 | .765 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .543 | .529 | L1 |
| 2[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2] | Buffalo Bills | East | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .471 | .471 | W5 |
| 3[lower-alpha 1] | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .481 | .428 | W2 |
| 4 | Houston Texans | South | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .474 | .465 | W2 |
| Wild cards | |||||||||||
| 5[lower-alpha 3] | Cleveland Browns | North | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .536 | .513 | L1 |
| 6[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3] | Miami Dolphins | East | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .450 | .358 | L2 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 5–1 | 7–5 | .540 | .571 | W3 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason | |||||||||||
| 8[lower-alpha 4] | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .574 | .536 | W1 |
| 9[lower-alpha 4][lower-alpha 5] | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .533 | .477 | L1 |
| 10[lower-alpha 5] | Indianapolis Colts | South | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .491 | .444 | L1 |
| 11[lower-alpha 6] | Las Vegas Raiders | West | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .488 | .426 | W1 |
| 12[lower-alpha 6] | Denver Broncos | West | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .488 | .485 | L1 |
| 13 | New York Jets | East | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .502 | .454 | W1 |
| 14 | Tennessee Titans | South | 6 | 11 | 0 | .353 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .522 | .422 | W1 |
| 15 | Los Angeles Chargers | West | 5 | 12 | 0 | .294 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .529 | .388 | L5 |
| 16 | New England Patriots | East | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .522 | .529 | L2 |
| Tiebreakers[lower-alpha 7] | |||||||||||
The Steelers would make the NFL Playoffs with a record of 10–7 as the 7th seed.[4] The team would be scheduled to face off against the 2nd Seed Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 14, 2024.[5] The game would be postponed to the following day due to high amounts of snow collection in the stadium.[6] The Steelers would lose to the Bills within regulation by the score of 31–17.[7]
Schedule
| Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | January 15 | at Buffalo Bills (2) | L 17–31 | 0–1 | Highmark Stadium | Recap |
Game summaries
AFC Wild Card Playoffs: at (2) Buffalo Bills
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
| Bills | 14 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 31 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
- Date: January 15, 2024
- Game time: 4:30 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 17 °F (−8 °C)
- Game attendance: 70,040
- Referee: Carl Cheffers
- TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson and Jay Feely
- Recap, Game Book
The 7-seeded Steelers traveled to Orchard Park to take on the 2-seeded Bills. Through the first 2 quarters, the Bills made it 21–0 before the Steelers made it 21–7 at halftime when Mason Rudolph found Diontae Johnson on a 10-yard touchdown pass. The Steelers went back to work in the third quarter when Chris Boswell kicked a 40-yard field goal to make it 21–10. Later on, the Bills made it a 2-touchdown game when Tyler Bass kicked a 45-yard field goal to make it 24–10. The Steelers came within a touchdown when Mason Rudolph found Calvin Austin III on a 7-yard touchdown pass to make it 24–17. But the Bills sealed the game later on when Josh Allen found Khalil Shakir on a 17-yard touchdown pass to make the final score 31–17.
With the loss, the Steelers would go on to lose their fifth straight postseason game and finished the season with a total record of 10–8.
- Steelers and Cardinals game delayed twice for inclement weather before Arizona wins 24-10, AP News, December 3, 2023
- Steelers have made the worst kind of NFL history, NBC Sports, December 7, 2023
- Steelers playoff picture: Pittsburgh's updated chances make 2023 NFL playoffs after Week 15 loss to Colts, Sporting News, December 17, 2023
- "Steelers secure a playoff spot". www.steelers.com. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- "2024 NFL Playoff Schedule: Steelers vs. Bills pushed back due to extreme weather | Goal.com US". www.goal.com. January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- "Bills vs. Steelers game postponed: New date, time announced for NFL wild card in Buffalo | Sporting News". www.sportingnews.com. January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- "Buffalo Bills 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 17: Final score, stats, highlights". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved January 16, 2024.