The Pittsburgh Steelers and the other 31 franchises across the NFL found out their schedules for the 2026 season on Thursday. This is always an interesting time of the year as fans always have something to nitpick about the scheduling of their favorite teams. That could be international games, total miles traveled, the number of primetime or standalone games, or the placement of the team's bye week. The Steelers always have a steady amount of primetime games, even though the roster in Pittsburgh has been in flux over the years, especially when it comes to the quarterback position.
Taylor Allison / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers quarterback Drew Allar stands alongside Head Coach Mike McCarthy as the two go over some feedback during the team's 2026 rookie minicamp in Pittsburgh, PA.
The quarterback situation of each team has to play a heavy role when selecting which franchises play more primetime games. The position is a good indicator of whether or not a team will be competitive, or whether or not a team will still be alive in the race for the playoffs near the end of the regular season. That factor obviously plays a role when it comes to scheduling primetime and standalone games as the league wants a good game that will draw as much viewership as possible. Pittsburgh landed four primetime games along with two additional standalone games on the 2026 schedule, and that is without a commitment from veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The NFL's Vice President of Broadcast Planning Mike North recently appeared on The Ross Tucker Football Podcast, and he was asked about why the Steelers are still scheduled the way they are, or if his office knows anything about Rodgers' future.
"We don't know if he's gonna be back Week 1," said North. "We don't know if Aaron Rodgers is going to be the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. We didn't know at this point last year if Aaron Rodgers was gonna be the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. But Al, and predictive analytics and any fan would tell you, that's the Pittsburgh Steelers. They haven't had a losing season in two decades. I know it's a new coach, maybe it's a new quarterback, but that's still a brand that resonates."
North confirmed that his office has no clue who the quarterback is going to be for the Steelers during the 2026 season. It could be Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, or Drew Allar. However, he acknowledged the history of the brand and the fact that it is one of the largest fan bases in the league. That warrants Pittsburgh getting four primetime games paired with two standalone games.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers quarterbacks Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Aaron Rodgers warm up prior to Pittsburgh's 34-12 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11 of the 2025 NFL regular season.
Another factor that plays a role in the scheduling is the division. The AFC North always seems to be a tight race, and there was a perfect example of that during the 2025 season as the division came down to the final regular season game of the 2025 regular season. Pittsburgh hosted the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football, and the winner won the division and a trip to the postseason while the loser's season came to an early end.
"That's still a team that matters," North said of the Steelers. "That's still a division that is going to be tight and always seems to come right down to the wire. They're a defending division champion. They deserve national television appearances."
There is no denying that the viewership will be there due to the large fan base that supports the Steelers, and there is a high likelihood that the team's games will matter late into the season.
Steelers Are Not The Only Team Having Their Schedule Questioned
Pittsburgh obviously has a big question mark hanging over the roster with Rodgers waiting to make his decision on whether or not he will be playing in 2026. The Kansas City Chiefs have six primetime games as well, and the health of Patrick Mahomes is still up in the air after suffering a knee injury late in the 2025 season. He will likely be able to play at some point, but his availability for the start of the season is completely unknown.
AP photo
Steelers' TJ Watt chases Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes.
Despite that, the Chiefs are scheduled for two primetime games to open the season. North confirmed his office has no inside information on Mahomes' health, but the same points that apply to the Steelers also apply to the Chiefs.
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