NFL Analyst Confident Steelers Will Return To Playoffs This Season

It didn’t take long for the Pittsburgh Steelers to convince one analyst they’re on the right path in 2025.

The Steelers opened the season with a chaotic 34-32 win over the New York Jets. Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdowns in his Steelers debut, including a 10-play scoring drive in the opening series.

NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt confidently declared that the Steelers are postseason-bound after watching them storm down the field in their first possession.

“The Steelers will be in the playoffs,” Brandt said. “I try to tell you guys. They are the Free Space in the middle of the bingo card. It’s on the house.”

While they’ve struggled to advance past the first round, the Steelers have made four of the last five postseasons. They went 10-7 in each of the last two regular seasons and famously haven’t posted a losing record in Mike Tomlin’s 18 seasons as head coach.

Sunday’s game was far from perfect. Pittsburgh posted 53 rushing yards on 20 carries, and Justin Fields gashed his former team for 9.9 yards per pass attempt while adding two rushing touchdowns.

The Steelers nevertheless prevailed behind a strong showing from Rodgers, who registered a 136.7 quarterback rating in his return to MetLife Stadium.

“This old wizard still has it,” Brandt wrote of Rodgers during the game, later calling the matchup between Rodgers and Fields “by far the best quarterback duel on TV.”

Pittsburgh still has a long way to go before punching another playoff ticket. The Steelers will look to stay undefeated when they host the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2.

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