Steelers' 2024 Opponents Set; Incredible Clashes With Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, And Aaron Rodgers Lie Ahead

The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't only come away from Week 18 of the 2023 regular season with a strong win against the Baltimore Ravens; they also ended up clinching a playoff berth. Thanks to the Tennessee Titans' victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Pittsburgh's 2023 season will have at least one more chapter. Another thing that Week 18 did was finalize who the Steelers will be facing in the 2024 season, and there are plenty of highly anticipated matchups coming up for Steelers' fans.

Steelers' 2024 Slate Looks Challenging, But Exciting

Coming into Week 18, Pittsburgh had all but three of their 2024 opponents set, but there were a few games left that would determine the final slate. The New York Jets 17-3 win over the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts' loss to the Houston Texans filled two of those three slots. The last one was finalized when the New Orleans Saints handed the Atlanta Falcons a crushing 48-17 defeat.

Pittsburgh's 2024 schedule gives the Steelers nine away games and eight home games, which is part of the 18-week rotational system. Three of those home games will be against their familiar AFC North rivals, of course, but the remaining five games at Acrisure Stadium bring a very interesting mixture of talent and question marks. Both New York football teams will be coming to Pittsburgh, and while the New York Giants are awash in mediocrity, the Jets will be bringing Aaron Rodgers with them. Rodgers will be a year older and grayer, so you never know what kind of Jets unit will be fielded when the 2024 season comes around, but the intrigue is certainly there.

The Los Angeles Chargers have a ton of questions and talent but few answers lately. Justin Herbert has shown his ability to have star moments, but it's still completely up in the air as to whether Herbert is a legitimate franchise quarterback. However, both Patrick Mahomes and Dak Prescott have established themselves as dynamic, elite leaders of their respective teams, and they will each be playing at Acrisure in 2024. Mahomes and Prescott are a combined 3-0 against the Steelers in their careers, so there will be even more incentive for Pittsburgh to add some losses to those records.

Depending on the health of Joe Burrow, Pittsburgh could be hosting a slew of upper talent at the quarterback position, with Mahomes, Prescott, Burrow, and Rodgers all coming to town. The Steelers have plenty of their own questions to be answered during the upcoming offseason, but the strong finish to the 2023 regular season could bode well for these matchups.

Steelers' 2024 Away Schedule Looks Promising

The Steelers' home slate for 2024 is filled with potential elite contests against talented passers, but their road schedule seems to present fewer challenges. The lone standout among Pittsburgh's 2024 away opponents is Jalen Hurts when the Steelers visit the Philadelphia Eagles. Hurts is a dangerous athlete with the ability to run or pass his way to success, and it will certainly be a tightly contested battle, but at first glance, it seems like that will be one of the few difficult away games ahead.

Outside of the expected AFC North games, the Steelers will be traveling to play the Falcons, Denver Broncos, Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, and Washington Commanders. Most of those teams are dealing with some form of quarterback issue and were handed very disappointing 2023 seasons. While teams can absolutely go through a transformation during the offseason, the initial outlook for the away section of the Steelers' 2024 season is a bright one.

The Broncos will be going through whatever fallout occurs from the Russell Wilson situation, and the post-Derek Carr era in Las Vegas looks rocky at best. With the exception of the Eagles, the teams on Pittsburgh's away slate will all be undergoing a great deal of turnover both on and off the field. With a three-game winning streak that resulted in Pittsburgh clinching a spot in the 2023 postseason, there is a lot of positive momentum to be carried into the 2024 campaign.

Whether it is with Mason Rudolph or Kenny Pickett under center, the Steelers seem to have found their gritty, bruising side again. There is a massive amount of time between Week 18 of 2023 and the start of the 2024 season, but the first look ahead to Pittsburgh's future looks promising. Every NFL season holds its challenges, but perhaps the table has been perfectly set for the Steelers to take another big step forward in getting back to their Super Bowl-winning ways.

Which of the Steelers' 2024 games are you looking forward to the most? Which makes you the most worried? 

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