Steelers Have One of the Toughest Schedules in Football in 2024

The 2024 NFL schedule is slotted to be released next Wednesday but the opponents for all 32 clubs are already known. In addition to their AFC North opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers will face the AFC West and NFC East in 2024. They’ll also play the Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons. The Steelers schedule is one of the toughest in the NFL, according to strength of schedule.

On paper, the Steelers toughest game in 2024 is against the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Overall, they’ll have the third-toughest strength of schedule in 2024, with their opponents holding a combined win percentage of .533. Only the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens have a tougher strength of schedule. That’s a steep price to pay for finishing third in arguably the toughest division in football.

The Steelers will face five playoff teams from last year in the Chiefs, Ravens, Browns, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. Every team in the AFC North last year had a winning, record so that explains why the top three teams with the toughest strength of schedule are from said division. The Steelers schedule is thus, quite brutal.

Strength of schedule is just something on paper, as teams can drastically change from year-to-year. The boost that head coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback C.J. Stroud gave to the Houston Texans is a prime example.

The Los Angeles Chargers should be a lot better with new head coach Jim Harbaugh. The Jets will also get back future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Falcons should be improved with new head coach Raheem Morris. The Bengals will be better if Joe Burrow can stay healthy. Of course, this is all hypothetical, but the Steelers are set to have their hands full in 2024. The AFC North is always a tough sledding just in itself.

Below is the Steelers’ 2024 opponents and the home/away slots.

Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New York Jets

Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts