After finishing 10-7 last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers somehow sneaked into the playoffs. This was despite some pretty awful quarterback play and an inconsistent defense.
This offseason, Pittsburgh completely turned over their quarterback depth chart and added two new starters on the offensive line. The front offense also added a couple of playmakers on defense.
So it’s not a surprise that at least some in the NFL community think the additions the Steelers made this offseason are enough to elevate them into contenders. FanDuel posted the tweet below calling the Steelers a surprise contender:
Name an NFL team who will be a surprise contender in 2024.
We'll start: The Pittsburgh Steelers pic.twitter.com/dCbOredLwX
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) July 20, 2024
The Steelers are in a tough spot on two fronts this season. First, they play in the toughest division in football with all four teams playoff contenders.
Second, their schedule, which is backloaded with division games, is the toughest in the NFL. Once the bye week hits, everything ramps up for the Steelers. If this team isn’t sitting pretty at the bye, they will have no chance to contend.