2024 NFL futures: What the SportsLine Projection Model now sees for Pittsburgh

The Steelers' forecast has changed in the model's updated projections after Week 2 of the NFL season

By Scott Erskine Sep 18, 2024 at 12:11 pm ET• 4 min read

Even though they haven't finished below .500 since going 6-10 in 2003, not much was expected from the Pittsburgh Steelers this season. But history has proven that you never can count out a team coached by Mike Tomlin, and thus far in 2024, that again holds true.

The Steelers have posted a winning record 14 times and went 8-8 on three occasions since Tomlin took the reins from Hall-of-Famer Bill Cowher in the Steel City in 2007. After two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2021, Pittsburgh won its final four regular-season games the following year to finish at 9-8 and ended 2023 with three straight victories to go 10-7 and earn a wild-card berth, although it lost to the Buffalo Bills on the road.

Kenny Pickett, who was selected with the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, started the majority of games under center in those two seasons (24), with Mitchell Trubisky (seven) and Mason Rudolph (four) also receiving opportunities - mostly due to injuries. All three are elsewhere this year as the Steelers brought in nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champ Russell Wilson as a free agent and traded for Justin Fields, who was drafted 11th overall in 2021 by the Chicago Bears.

Even with the upgrade at arguably the most important position in team sports, Pittsburgh was not expected to be a factor in the playoff picture this year. In fact, the SportsLine Projection Model gave the Steelers 12% chance to win the AFC North title for the first time since 2020 and a 32% chance to grab a wild-card spot in its preseason forecast.