Steelers Rank Last In ESPN’s Chances Of Returning To Playoffs List

Despite massive changes (and improvements) in the offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers still have doubters out there when it comes to their potential for returning to the playoffs this season.

Pittsburgh completely shuffled their offensive attack over the offseason, bringing in former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator. The team then, of course, moved on from the quarterback trio of Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph — replacing them with Super Bowl winner Russell Wilson and former first-round selection Justin Fields. Most would agree that the quarterback changes are a clear improvement from last year when they made the playoffs as an AFC Wild Card team, but they’re not receiving the love you’d hope for out of the 14 teams that did make it to the playoffs.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell put together a list ranking the 14 teams by chances of returning to the 2024 playoffs. The Steelers came at No. 14 on the list, also known as last place.

“I foolishly choose not to believe in Mike Tomlin Magic,” Barnwell wrote. “I know, I know. Don’t make the same mistake twice. Or three times. Or however many times the numbers say to count out the Steelers. Tomlin has managed to coax at least eight wins out of his team in every single season he has coached the franchise, a streak that has survived dismal quarterback play, injuries and woefully inept offensive playcallers. You know I’m about to get to the numbers, but the numbers shouldn’t apply to Pittsburgh.

“Maybe they shouldn’t, but in the past, this was the same story I heard about other teams that weren’t going to regress toward the mean,” Barnwell continued in his ranking article. “Ask the 2020-21 Packers and Titans, teams that gleefully defied the numbers. In 2022, they both fell to earth in exactly the way the data would have suggested. The 2011-13 Colts broke the rules until … they didn’t anymore.

“And so, regrettably, I must report that the Steelers should not be able to keep this up. They went 10-7 while being outscored by 20 points last season. They were 9-2 in one-score games. They were the league’s ninth-oldest team, combining one of the youngest offenses with the oldest defense. They’re also about to take Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to a showdown of Hall of Fame-caliber quarterbacks in their prime in the AFC.”

Barnwell is certainly right about the division around them. The AFC North looks to be the most competitive division in football this year, with the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Bengals all in the position to also vy for a playoff spot.

That being said, Tomlin has a track record like few others in the league. After making the playoffs in three of the last four seasons, there’s no reason to believe that with good quarterback play this team can’t make it back once again.

More NFL: NFL Rumors: Steelers Reportedly Have Deal In Place For Brandon Aiyuk