- Michael Pittman Jr. provides ultra-reliable hands: The veteran wide receiver brings exceptional hands to Pittsburgh's passing attack, having dropped less than 5% of catchable targets thrown his way in each of the past four years.
- Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 preview: Aaron Rodgers reunites with head coach Mike McCarthy for his farewell season alongside an offense featuring newly acquired pass-catchers and an ascending defense at all three levels.
The PittsburghSteelers won the AFC North in 2025, but a heavy playoff loss to the Houston Texans marked the end of Mike Tomlin's long tenure in Pittsburgh. To take Tomlin's place, head coach Mike McCarthy has reunited with Aaron Rodgers in what the future Hall of Famer has said is his final season before retirement.
Here is our 2026 preview for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Key Free Agency/Trade Additions
Position Player 2025 PFF Grade WR Michael Pittman 70.4 HB Rico Dowdle 63.5 CB Jamel Dean 80.6 S Jaquan Brisker 64.6 S Darnell Savage 42.7 DI Sebastian Joseph-Day 66.6 TE Robert Tonyan 59.1 OL Jack Driscoll N/A LB Jamin Davis 41.6 HB Travis Homer 52.8For the second straight season, the Steelers made a trade for a veteran wide receiver, and if Pittman can have close to the impact DK Metcalf did last season, they will be delighted. One of the most sure-handed receivers in football, Pittman has dropped less than 5% of the catchable targets he has seen in each of the past four years.
The headline addition on defense was Dean at cornerback. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer has been solid throughout his career, earning a PFF coverage grade of at least 72.5 in each of his seven NFL seasons. He allowed an NFL passer rating of just 47.7 on throws into his coverage last season.
2026 NFL Draft Class
Position Player 2025 PFF Grade OT Max Iheanachor 72.5 WR Germie Bernard 71.9 QB Drew Allar 72.4 CB Daylen Everette 69.7 G Gennings Dunker 81.6 WR Kaden Wetjen 64.9 FB Riley Nowakowski 79.6 DI Gabriel Rubio 73.0 S Robert Spears-Jennings 58.9 HB Eli Heidenreich 92.9The Steelers' draft was very much about the future, and it's possible that all they get from the group in their first season is some role players — and that's perfectly fine if they hit on multiple developmental prospects.
Iheanachor got better every season in college, earning a 78.3 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2025, and he has one of the best athletic profiles among prospects at the position over the past decade.
Bernard could be their most impactful rookie if he can establish himself as the third receiver behind Metcalf and Pittman. He dropped just 1.5% of the catchable targets thrown his way in 2025 and forced 17 missed tackles on 64 receptions. With Metcalf and Pittman capable of being big downfield threats, there's a path to a solid role for the rookie in the middle of the field early in his career.
Reasons for optimism
If you were looking to create the best conditions for a 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers to make a final run as an NFL quarterback, it would be this. Metcalf and Pittman can both win downfield, especially on those back-shoulder throws Rodgers has trademarked throughout his career. The offensive line has some question marks, notably Troy Fautanu moving back to the left side he manned in college after playing exclusively right tackle in his first two NFL seasons, but this is a unit that finished 2025 as the eighth-ranked group in PFF's offensive line rankings.
On defense, Pittsburgh knows how to get after the quarterback, with five players in its defensive front who earned PFF pass-rush grades of 75.0 or better on at least 350 pass-rush snaps. With Dean completing an impressive cornerback trio, this is a defense that looks strong at all three levels.
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Read the QB Annual (opens in new tab)Get PFF+ (opens in new tab)Reason for pessimism
The system and the players need to fit around Aaron Rodgers because he's not the same quarterback he once was. His 68.0 PFF grade in 2025 was his lowest in any season in which he played at least 100 snaps. His 6.6-yard average depth of target was also the lowest of his career. The positive to take from that is he should push the ball downfield more in 2026 with Pittman at wide receiver and McCarthy as head coach.
Breakout Candidate
The Steelers rewarded tight end Darnell Washington for his solid performance over the first three years of his career, but 2026 could be the year he gets more national attention as one of the better players at the position. He set a career high with 1.72 yards per route run last year and ranked seventh among tight ends in PFF run-blocking grade (73.1).
Key roster battles
The big question on the Steelers' offensive line is how soon Iheanachor will start at right tackle. With Fautanu moved over to the left side, the right side is currently between Iheanachor and Dylan Cook. A former undrafted free agent, Cook impressed in five straight starts to end the 2025 season at left tackle, earning a 79.4 PFF pass-blocking grade and allowing just nine pressures on 226 pass-blocking snaps.
Iheanachor is obviously the future at the position, but if he hits the ground running and starts early, Cook becomes a high-level backup at both spots.