Ranking the Best Road Designations for Steelers Fans in 2025
With the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2025 NFL schedule released last week, I’ve decided to rank the road designations from best to worst. The criteria for the exercise is based off the stadium, city, opponent, atmosphere, storylines and time of the year.
Week 4: Vikings in Dublin, 9/28
While not technically a road game, the Steelers will make the trip across the Atlantic Ocean to Ireland to host the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park in Dublin.
The Steelers-Vikings game will be a historic event on many fronts. Steelers president Art Rooney II said the demand for the Ireland game has been tremendous.
“We had a little bit of input, not a lot in terms of the date and our opponent in Ireland, but we’re happy with how the game fell (on the schedule) and where it falls on the calendar. And the great thing is that the ticket demand is already through the roof. We’re going to have a great Steelers crowd in Dublin,” Rooney told Missi Matthews of Steelers.com.
This is an extremely rare opportunity for Steelers fans. Croke Park played host to a preseason game between the Steelers and Chicago Bears back in 1997. That was the only other time the Steelers played in Ireland. Who knows when the next time will be.
Of course, flying overseas is not cheap, but this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Week 10: At Chargers, 11/9
Steelers Nation always takes over games on the West Coast. The atmosphere should be electric too with it being in primetime.
SoFi Stadium is one of the nicest stadiums in the NFL. An architectural masterpiece. A trip to Manhattan Beach, Venice Beach, Santa Monica, or any of the prestigious Southern California beaches also sounds enticing in November.
If you want to double-dip on football action for the weekend, USC plays Northwestern at the historic L.A. Coliseum on Saturday.
Week 1: At New York Jets, 9/7
If Aaron Rodgers signs with the Steelers, this game will have a slew of headlines. The mercurial Rodgers would love nothing more than to get back at his former teams. I’m sure that’s vice versa, too.
MetLife Stadium is in the shadows of New York City, so there’s a litany of entertainment options for the weekend outside of the game.
The stadium itself is rather dull. It’s massive, though.
Week 12: At Bears, 11/23
The Bears are coming off a strong season and enter a new era with franchise quarterback Caleb Williams and several newly drafted weapons to support him. They’re also led by first-year head coach Ben Johnson, the former offensive coordinator in Detroit. The matchup should be an intriguing test for both teams.
The last time the Steelers faced the Bears was in 2017—a game remembered more for controversy than the action on the field, as the Steelers stayed in the locker room during the national anthem, with only Alejandro Villanueva appearing on the sideline. Pittsburgh went on to win that game in gritty fashion with an overtime victory.
The Steelers have not beat the Bears in Chicago since 1995.
Soldier Field is often considered one of the best in the league due to its location and unique architecture. The stadium is right near the lakefront.
Week 14: At Ravens, 12/7
Baltimore gets a bad rap, but M&T Bank Stadium is a pretty nice stadium. One of the better ones in the league, honestly. The Inner Harbor is a historic seaport, tourist attraction, and landmark in Baltimore. You can’t go to Baltimore without visiting the Inner Harbor.
The seafood in Baltimore is also amazing. A trip to Jimmy’s Seafood is a must.
Week 3: At New England Patriots, 9/21
Gillette Stadium is in the middle of nowhere. Shipping it up to Boston for the weekend might have to be the plan for entertainment and sightseeing.
The Steelers’ recent history against the Patriots is rather grim. Since 2000, the Patriots are 14-4 against the Black and Gold. They’re also 3-0 in AFC Championship games against the Steelers in that time frame. In addition, the Steelers have won just once in Foxborough since 2000.
Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is very confident that the Patriots will take down the Steelers.
“They’re going about seven [wins],” Rob Gronkowski said of the Patriots’ win total this season on Bussin’ with the Boys. “We’ve got the Steelers’ number. The Patriots always take down the Steelers, no matter what.”
Via Connor Roche of Boston.com, the Patriots open as the favorites in 11 of their 17 games at DraftKings Sportsbook. The oddsmakers think New England will be vastly improved with new head coach Mike Vrabel and promising second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
Week 16: At Lions, 12/21
Detroit in December doesn’t sound that exciting. But at least the game will be played indoors. It’s also an easy trip if you’re coming from Pittsburgh.
Since 1966, the Steelers are 13-2-1 against Detroit. The last time they lost to the Lions was the infamous Jerome Bettis Thanksgiving Day coin toss game in 1998.
The Lions, who are coming off an impressive 15-2 season, are among the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl this season. This game should be a tough challenge for the Steelers.
Week 17: At Browns, 12/28
Like Detroit, the weather in Cleveland will be brutal in late December. This game will be played in the elements, however, and not in a dome. The wind of Lake Erie is no joke, so it could not be an enjoyable viewing experience.
The Browns are expected to be really bad in 2025 (what else is new). Depending on how things go at quarterback, the Steelers very well could be eliminated from playoff contention at this point, as well.
A trip to Cleveland is not really a bucket list designation, either. At least there’s the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to visit, I guess.
Week 7: At Bengals, 10/16
This game seems like a brutal trip. A short week in Cincinnati. On paper, nothing about this game seems appealing. The food scene in Cincinnati is also nothing special. Skyline Chili is diabolical.