The Pittsburgh Steelers are a few weeks away from reporting to training camp in Latrobe, but that hasn’t stopped fans from looking ahead to what could be one of the more interesting seasons in recent memory.
For the first time since 2007, Pittsburgh enters a season with someone other than Mike Tomlin as its head coach. Mike McCarthy takes over a team that has plenty of talent, but also plenty of questions. Some of those questions will be answered during training camp. Others may take weeks, or even months, to sort themselves out.
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Will the Steelers be a competitive playoff team?
There seems to be an apathy among Steelers Nation. Fans are no longer questioning whether or not the team can win a Super Bowl, rather, they are looking for a long awaited playoff victory.
We have previously mentioned how the Steelers are in a position to compete in the AFC, but competing and actually getting there are two different things. The conference remains stacked with playoff quality teams such as the Patriots, Bills, Texans, Chiefs, Broncos, and within the Steelers own division, the Ravens and possibly a high-powered Bengals offense.
Pittsburgh is always looked at as an underdog with critics believing they’ll fail each offseason. Fans are impatient, but Art Rooney II continues to go all-in without entirely starting from scratch.
The defense features proven stars with veteran leaders on offense such as Aaron Rodgers. Despite many of the offseason changes, the entirety of the roster features few glaring holes, at least on paper.
With a new coach who has a similar track record as the previous coach, the Steelers should enter the season believing they in the mix as one of the competitors in the AFC.
Will the D.K. Metcalf trade finally pay off?
There will be plenty of attention focused on D.K. Metcalf this season, and rightfully so. Following a blockbuster trade last season, Metcalf failed to deliver numbers that were any better than his inconsistent predecessor George Pickens.
Metcalf wasn’t acquired to be a complementary piece, he was added to be a difference-maker.
Few receivers in the NFL possess Metcalf’s combination of size, speed, and physicality. When he’s at his best, he can completely change the complexion of a game with one play, which is exactly the type of threat Pittsburgh has been searching for.
Now that the team has added additional receiving threats, the pressure should come off of Metcalf and opponents must focus on other options in the Steelers offense. Pair that with McCarthy, who has spent much of his coaching career building offenses around talented receivers, and it’s easy to envision Metcalf becoming one of the focal points of this attack.
If the Steelers offense takes a significant step forward in 2026, there’s a good chance Metcalf will be one of the biggest reasons why.
Can T.J. Watt Bounce Back?
Every season seems to come with a new debate surrounding T.J. Watt and this one is no different. While some fans focus on sack totals, others point to the constant double teams and attention he receives from opposing offenses. However, the truth usually falls somewhere in the middle.
Regardless, Watt remains one of the most important players on the Steelers roster. Even when offenses dedicate extra blockers to slowing him down, his impact can still be felt across the defense, with others benefitting from the attention given to T.J., such as Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig.
This season will be interesting because Watt will be working with a new defensive coordinator. Patrick Graham’s system could create different opportunities for Pittsburgh’s pass rush and potentially free Watt up to make more game-changing plays.
If that happens, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him back in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation.