Steelers Owner Art Rooney II Expresses Displeasure With Certain Game On 2025 Schedule

The Pittsburgh Steelers had an absolutely brutal schedule in 2024, and it definitely felt like the NFL owed them some favors for everything it did. The 2025 schedule looks better, but that's mainly because it's almost impossible to have a worse stretch of games than the previous year when the team had all six division games in the final eight weeks, as well as the defending Super Bowl Champions on a Wednesday Christmas game. The franchise's new slate of games is somewhat similar with many tough matchups in the back half. 

During a recent interview, Team President Art Rooney II was asked about what he likes and doesn't like about the 2025 schedule. He mentioned that there was only one thing that he does not totally agree with.

"I think the only complaint I have is a night game on the West Coast is something I prefer to avoid, and we got one of those this year, so these things happen," Rooney said.

in Week 10, the Steelers will be facing off against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football at SoFi Stadium. That will certainly be a tough matchup, as Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh are one of the better quarterback/coach duos in the NFL currently. That will only be the beginning of what should be a tough stretch of games for Pittsburgh. 

After that, the Steelers will come home to play against the Cincinnati Bengals, so at least they won't have to go on the road in back-to-back weeks following the Sunday Night showdown. In fact, the Chargers game will be the only road game within a four-game span, as Pittsburgh will be in Acrisure Stadium for the two weeks prior to their trip to Southern California. 

Luckily for Rooney and the Steelers, there is still a chance that they don't have to play against the Chargers on Sunday Night. That game is late enough in the season to be flexed if this turns out to be a less desirable matchup and/or another contest receives more hype before Week 10. Rooney can still get his wish and have a perfect schedule in his eyes.

Steelers Are Not Concerned With Another Gauntlet

Rooney also mentioned that the Steelers had to deal with everything to end the 2024 season, so the end of the 2025 slate does not appear to be too daunting to him. At very least, the team won't have to play three games in 11 days again or do Wednesday afternoon football again. This is easily more manageable, as the franchise will be able to have full practices before every game except for the Thursday Night contest in Week 7.

Unlike 2024, the organization also catches a break towards the end of the campaign. In Week 15, they will have a home game against the Miami Dolphins. While they still have a formidable roster, they are notorious for struggling in the cold. A primetime game versus a team from South Florida in the middle of December is exactly what the Steelers could use to help get a little momentum boost before the last three tough games of the year. 

Either way, there are no excuses. The Steelers have to come out swinging from the start and prove that they are good enough to make it to the playoffs by beating quality teams all throughout the season. They can't complain at all; they just have to prove that they are up for the challenge. The only way to find out if they are or not is by watching how the whole year unfolds. 

What do you think about Rooney not liking the 2025 Sunday Night Football game against the Chargers, as well as him being fine with everything else? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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