Bengals And Ravens Begin To Worry As Steelers Are Happy After NFL Scheduling News

The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to claim the AFC North in the 2025 season, but ended up falling short of winning a postseason game. Some fans may consider this a failure, as the organization hasn't been victorious in the postseason since the 2016 campaign. While the year didn't end in a positive manner, one of the highlights of the 17-game regular-season slate was the franchise hosting a home game in Dublin, Ireland. The team performed very well and came away with a nice win over the Minnesota Vikings. International games aren't always ideal; however, this one lived up to the hype.

Pittsburgh has a slim chance of playing abroad in 2026, as the New Orleans Saints are set to host a matchup in Paris, France. However, reports have suggested that the Cleveland Browns and Owner Jimmy Haslam will be receiving the nod to compete in that contest. The Jacksonville Jaguars are also preparing to have two home games in London, England, and the Steelers might be considered for one of those two showdowns.

With Pittsburgh and Cleveland involved in the international talks, it's only fair that the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens also enter the conversation. On Tuesday, it was announced that the Atlanta Falcons, a member of the NFC South, will be headed to Madrid, Spain, as the NFL continues its efforts to expand all around the globe.

Both the Browns and Steelers will be hosting the Falcons at their respective home venues, which leaves the Bengals and Ravens on the hook for possibly traveling to Spain. While most teams end up getting a bye week after playing a game overseas, it's not an ideal situation in the middle of a season. If the Browns are going to Paris and one of Cincinnati or Baltimore goes to Spain, Pittsburgh immediately gains an advantage in a 17-game campaign, as long as a trip to London isn't on the horizon.

Head Coach Mike McCarthy will have enough on his plate as he plans to lead the Steelers for the first time. Throwing in an international matchup wouldn't be ideal, but he certainly won't complain if division rivals have to plan around them. The most important thing for coaches and players is consistency and keeping up with routines. Games overseas have the chance to directly disrupt those factors.

It will be interesting to see how Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti and Bengals President Mike Brown feel about the possibility of playing internationally. There is a very strong possibility that one of their teams is going to be headed to Madrid, Spain.

Steelers Won't Complain About AFC North Foes Facing Challenges

Regardless of how the ball bounces in the NFL, some teams inevitably get the short end of the stick when it comes to the schedule. Pittsburgh saw this firsthand in 2024 when it had to play all six AFC North contests in the final eight games of the season. No one will ever admit that traveling internationally is fun when it's jammed in the middle of any given campaign, but the Steelers are certainly hoping to escape that fate, while watching the Browns and another rival face it in 2026.

#SteelerNation