The Pittsburgh Steelers will learn their full 2024 schedule with the rest of the NFL, when it is announced on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. But when it comes to where and against which team the Steelers will play their first game of the 2024 season, we’ve at least been able to cross some options off the list.
First, when it comes to where, the Steelers can only play a home game in Week 1 if it’s on Sunday Night Football. The Pittsburgh Pirates have home games on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 1:35 p.m. against the Washington Nationals and Monday, Sept. 9 at 6:40 p.m. against the Miami Marlins.
Because MLB has exclusive TV windows on Sunday evenings, the Pirates would have to play first, with the Steelers playing a late game if at home. The two North Shore teams have shared a calendar date infrequently, with the last time it happening between full regular season fanbases was in 2013, but it is possible. The Marlins are traveling to Pittsburgh on Sunday night, and could not play a day game on Monday.
So the only way the Steelers will be at home in Week 1 if it’s on Sunday Night Football, and even that would be a somewhat fraught venture when it comes to North Shore parking and space-sharing.
The Steelers have 14 opponents in 2024, playing their three AFC North rivals twice each. But we know that at least five of their potential opponents are spoken for already. The Baltimore Ravens will be playing the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the Thursday night NFL opener. Then on Friday, the Philadelphia Eagles will be playing the Green Bay Packers in Sao Paulo, Brazil. On top of that, the Dallas Cowboys will play the Cleveland Browns at 4:25 on Sunday. The Chiefs, Browns, Cowboys, Ravens and Eagles are all on the Steelers’ 2024 schedule.
So who is left? In the more likely scenario that the Steelers start on the road, their remaining opponents are the Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders.
If it’s going to be a Sunday Night Football game in Pittsburgh, the options are the Bengals, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Jets and New York Giants.
Could a Mile High return for Russell Wilson be a Week 1 game? Or perhaps a cross-conference showdown with the New York Giants? The full schedule will be released on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. on NFL Network. Either way, expect it to be a challenge. The Steelers have the NFL’s most difficult schedule this season.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2024 SCHEDULE OPPONENTS
Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New York Jets
Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts