2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season | |
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Owner | The Rooney Family |
General manager | Kevin Colbert |
Head coach | Bill Cowher |
Home field | Heinz Field |
Results | |
Record | 11–5 |
Division place | 2nd AFC North |
Playoff finish | Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Bengals) 31–17 Won Divisional Playoffs (at Colts) 21–18 Won AFC Championship (at Broncos) 34–17 Won Super Bowl XL (vs. Seahawks) 21–10 |
Pro Bowlers | 5
|
AP All-Pros | 3
|
Team MVP | Casey Hampton Hines Ward |
Team ROY | Heath Miller |
The 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 73rd season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League (NFL). It was the 6th season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the 14th under head coach Bill Cowher. The Steelers failed to improve upon their 15–1 record from 2004 and in 2005, the Steelers struggled. At one point, they were 7–5 and in danger of missing the playoffs but rose to defeat the Chicago Bears on December 11 and started a four-game win streak to finish the season at 11–5.
The Steelers qualified for the playoffs as a wild-card team as the #6 seed and became just the second team ever (and the first in 20 years) to win three playoff games on the road after they beat the #3 seed Cincinnati Bengals (11–5), [1] the top-seeded Indianapolis Colts (14–2), [2] and the #2 seed Denver Broncos (13–3) to become the American Football Conference representative in Super Bowl XL. [3] [4] They defeated the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL to secure their league-tying fifth Super Bowl title. [5] [6] In doing so, they also became the only team at the time since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to win a Super Bowl without playing a single home playoff game; though the New York Giants would repeat the feat two years later. [7]
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
| Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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Notable additions include Heath Miller and Nate Washington.
2005 Pittsburgh Steelers draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 30 | Heath Miller * | TE | Virginia | * |
2 | 62 | Bryant McFadden | CB | Florida State | |
3 | 93 | Trai Essex | T | Northwestern | |
4 | 131 | Fred Gibson | WR | Georgia | |
5 | 166 | Rian Wallace | ILB | Temple | |
6 | 204 | Chris Kemoeatu | G | Utah | |
7 | 207 | Shaun Nua | NT | BYU | |
7 | 244 | Noah Herron | RB | Northwestern | |
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
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1 | August 15 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 38–31 | 1–0 | Heinz Field | Recap |
2 | August 20 | Miami Dolphins | W 17–3 | 2–0 | Heinz Field | Recap |
3 | August 26 | at Washington Redskins | L 10–17 | 2–1 | FedExField | Recap |
4 | September 1 | at Carolina Panthers | W 21–17 | 3–1 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Titans | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Steelers | 7 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 34 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Ben Roethlisberger became the NFL's first quarterback since Trent Green in 2003 to post a perfect (158.3) passer rating, and college backup Willie Parker put up 161 rushing yards and a touchdown in a dazzling NFL debut.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steelers | 10 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 27 |
Texans | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas
Pittsburgh strong safety Troy Polamalu led a defensive onslaught with a career-high three of the Steelers' eight sacks, and Willie Parker followed up his outstanding NFL debut with 111 rushing yards and a touchdown on 25 carries as the Steelers hammered the Texans.
As the game took place on a hot, humid day, the Texans left the roof of Reliant Stadium open in the hopes that the Steelers' performance would be hampered by their black jerseys. However, the tactic failed and Houston fans were angered by having to sit in sweltering conditions and watch their team lose.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patriots | 7 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 23 |
Steelers | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
New England quarterback Tom Brady led a five-play, 37-yard drive to Adam Vinatieri's game-winning 43-yard field goal with :01 remaining. The drive countered Hines Ward's 4-yard scoring catch that tied the score at 20–20, but left 1:25 for Brady to march the Patriot offense. On the day, Brady completed 31 of 41 passes for 372 yards, with an interception.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steelers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 24 |
Chargers | 0 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 22 |
at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
The Steelers returned to Monday night football for the first time since 2003 after being exiled for a year due to the 6-10 record. Jeff Reed booted a 40-yard field goal with :06 remaining to lift the Steelers to a win, but a play late in the game caused star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to leave with a hyperextended knee and left his availability for the following week in doubt. The hit came from Charger rookie defensive lineman Luis Castillo and forced Roethlisberger to the sideline, and backup Charlie Batch merely handed off to Jerome Bettis three times to set up Reed's kick.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jaguars | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 23 |
Steelers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tommy Maddox capped a poor performance by throwing an overtime pass into a crowd of Jaguar defenders, and Rashean Mathis made him pay dearly, intercepting the pass and returning it 41 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Subbing for an injured Ben Roethlisberger (hyperextended knee), Maddox completed just 11 of 28 passes for 154 yards, with a touchdown and three interceptions.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steelers | 0 | 7 | 17 | 3 | 27 |
Bengals | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Pittsburgh regrouped following a sloppy first quarter to take an easy win in Cincinnati. After allowing two marches into the Steeler red zone, the defense tightened and gave up only two field goals, then coasted on the heels of two Ben Roethlisberger touchdown strikes and 131 rushing yards from Willie Parker.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Ravens | 7 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 19 |
Steelers | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Underachieving against a Ravens team missing defensive standouts Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, the Steelers regrouped on the heels of a late 60-yard drive that set up Jeff Reed's game-winning 37-yard field goal with 1:36 remaining. Ben Roethlisberger completed 18 of 30 passes for 177 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steelers | 6 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
Packers | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
With Charlie Batch starting at quarterback for an injured Ben Roethlisberger (knee), the Steelers capitalized on Packer mistakes – three turnovers – and won despite a lackluster offensive showing. The game's highlight came from Troy Polamalu, whose sack of Brett Favre forced a fumble that Polamalu himself scooped up and returned 77 yards for a second-quarter touchdown.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Browns | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
Steelers | 0 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 34 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Steelers handled the division-rival Browns despite another serious quarterback injury. Backup Charlie Batch, subbing for Ben Roethlisberger, broke his hand late in the first half and exited. Beleaguered third-stringer Tommy Maddox inherited a 17–7 third-quarter lead and, despite some miscues, cruised to the win. Wide receiver (and college quarterback) Antwaan Randle El completed a 51-yard scoring pass to Hines Ward in the third, making Ward the team's all-time receptions leader (passing Hall of Fame wideout John Stallworth).
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steelers | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
Ravens | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 16 |
at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
An anemic offensive showing led to a surprising Steeler defeat at the hands of the Ray Lewis-less Ravens. Third-team quarterback Tommy Maddox got the starting nod and completed 19 of 36 passes for 230 yards, with a touchdown and an interception (a bizarre play that caromed off of wideout Hines Ward's swinging foot and was snatched by Terrell Suggs), but the Steelers' inability to handle the Raven pass rush was a serious blow. Maddox was sacked six times and under nearly constant duress. Matt Stover won the game on a 44-yard field goal in overtime.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Steelers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Colts | 10 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 26 |
at RCA Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana
The banged-up Steelers were simply no match for the undefeated Colts on Monday Night. Indianapolis' first offensive play proved a harbinger for the Steelers, with Marvin Harrison scorching Pittsburgh cornerback Ike Taylor on an 80-yard touchdown strike and a 7–0 advantage. Ben Roethlisberger's return from a two-game absence (knee injury) was a shaky one; his first interception potentially caused a six-point swing, snuffing out a Steeler drive late in the first half and setting up the Colts to kick a field goal, taking a 16–7 lead into the break. Roethlisberger's struggles were heightened when injured left tackle Marvel Smith grew less and less able to deal with All-Pro Colt pass rusher Dwight Freeney & Co., and eventually left with an ankle injury.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bengals | 7 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 38 |
Steelers | 14 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Ben Roethlisberger put up the most prolific numbers of his young career in his return from a knee injury, but he was ultimately out dueled by Carson Palmer. Roethlisberger outpassed his counterpart 386–227 and each threw three touchdowns, but his three interceptions were backbreakers. Ultimately, the Bengals simply made too many big plays, including a 94-yard kickoff return by Tab Perry, for the Steelers to keep pace.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Bears | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
Steelers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
at Heinz Field • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game information | ||
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In a snowy atmosphere, the Steelers snapped their three-game losing streak by ending the Bears' eight-game winning run. Jerome Bettis churned through the snow and mud for a season-high 101 rushing yards, scoring twice in the physical win.
Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Steelers | 3 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 18 |
Vikings | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Desperately trying to keep pace in the AFC playoff picture, the Steelers again dominated an NFC North opponent and again snapped a winning streak. The Vikings had won six straight games, but were pounded up and down the field in losing to Pittsburgh. The Steelers forced three Minnesota turnovers and added a safety in the victory.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Steelers | 14 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 41 |
Browns | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
The Steelers turned a nearly flawless performance into a dominating win in Cleveland. The Browns were sacked eight times and were never really in the game. Willie Parker's 80-yard touchdown scamper in the third quarter broke the game open at 27–0. Ben Roethlisberger completed 13 of 20 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown before giving way to Charlie Batch with the game well in hand.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Lions | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
Steelers | 14 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 35 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mere weeks after being all but counted out in an extremely tight AFC playoff race, the Steelers clinched a Wild Card berth, trading punches with lowly Detroit and coming out on top. Unexpectedly, the 5–10 Lions leapt to a 14–7 first-quarter lead on two Joey Harrington touchdown passes, but Jerome Bettis tied the game later in the period with the first of his three touchdown runs in his final game in Pittsburgh. Bettis and Willie Parker combined for 176 rushing yards as the Steelers closed out their regular season.
Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
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Wild Card | January 8 | at Cincinnati Bengals (3) | W 31–17 | 1–0 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
Divisional | January 15 | at Indianapolis Colts (1) | W 21–18 | 2–0 | RCA Dome | Recap |
AFC Championship | January 22 | at Denver Broncos (2) | W 34–17 | 3–0 | Invesco Field at Mile High | Recap |
Super Bowl XL | February 5 | vs. Seattle Seahawks (N1) | W 21–10 | 4–0 | Ford Field | Recap |
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Steelers | 0 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 31 |
Bengals | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
at Paul Brown Stadium • Cincinnati, Ohio
Game information | ||
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Carson Palmer was injured early on in a tackle by Kimo von Oelhoffen
Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Steelers | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
Colts | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 18 |
at RCA Dome • Indianapolis, Indiana
Game information | ||
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The Steelers became the first No. 6 playoff seed (since the league expanded to a 12-team playoff format in 1990) to defeat a No. 1 seed, and also the first No. 6 seed to reach a conference championship game.
Roethlisberger's game-saving tackle on Harper would later be known as "The Immaculate Redemption" or just "The Tackle".
Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Steelers | 3 | 21 | 0 | 10 | 34 |
Broncos | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
at Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Seahawks | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
Steelers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
The Pittsburgh Steelers became the fourth wild card team to win the Super Bowl. Hines Ward was the Super Bowl MVP, recording 5 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown.
AFC North | |||||||||
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W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
(3) Cincinnati Bengals | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 7–5 | 421 | 350 | L2 |
(6) Pittsburgh Steelers | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 7–5 | 389 | 258 | W4 |
Baltimore Ravens | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 265 | 299 | L1 |
Cleveland Browns | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 4–8 | 232 | 301 | W1 |
See: 2006 Pro Bowl
The National Football League playoffs for the 2005 season began on January 7, 2006. The postseason tournament concluded with the Pittsburgh Steelers defeating the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL, 21–10, on February 5, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.
The 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 74th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League (NFL). It was the 7th season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the 15th and last under head coach Bill Cowher, as he retired on January 5, 2007. The team failed to improve on their 11–5 record from 2005 and also failed to defend their Super Bowl XL championship, Instead, they finished the season with an 8–8 record and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2003. In the first half of the season, the Steelers record was 2-6. However, the team dramatically improved during the second half of the season, flipping their record from the first eight games and going 6-2 in their last eight.
The 2007 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 75th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League (NFL). It was the 8th season under leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the first under head coach Mike Tomlin, after going 8–8 last season. The Steelers finished the year at 10–6. However, they lost 31–29 at home to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the wild-card round.
The 2007 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the franchise's thirteenth season in the National Football League (NFL) and the fifth under head coach Jack Del Rio. They improved upon their 8–8 record from 2006 when they finished third in the AFC South, and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2005. The Jaguars upset the Pittsburgh Steelers 31–29 in the Wild Card round but were defeated by the New England Patriots 31–20 in the Divisional Playoffs.
The 1983 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 51st season in the National Football League.
The 1998 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 66th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League (NFL).
The 1999 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise’s 67th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.
The 2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 68th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.
The 1995 Indianapolis Colts season was the 43rd season for the team in the National Football League and 12th in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Colts finished the National Football League's 1995 season with a record of 9 wins and 7 losses, and finished tied for second in the AFC East division with the Miami Dolphins. However, the Colts finished ahead of Miami based on head-to-head sweep (2–0).
The 2002 season was the Pittsburgh Steelers' 70th as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.
The 2001 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 69th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League (NFL). After finishing the previous three seasons a combined 22–26, the Steelers returned to the top seed in the AFC, rolling to a 13–3 record in their first playoff berth and AFC Central title since 1997 and playing at Heinz Field. The Steelers went 7–1 in their new home stadium, with the only loss coming to the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.
The 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 79th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League (NFL). It was the twelfth season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the fifth under head coach Mike Tomlin. The Steelers hoped to return to the Super Bowl and defend their AFC championship from 2010, but suffered a 29–23 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The Steelers played all of their home games at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The 2011 Tennessee Titans season was the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League (NFL), the 52nd overall and the 15th in the state of Tennessee. It also marked the first season under head coach Mike Munchak, replacing longtime head coach Jeff Fisher, who resigned on January 27 after 17 seasons. The team improved on their 6–10 record from 2010 and finished tied with the Cincinnati Bengals for the last playoff spot, but lost the tiebreaker due to their 24–17 loss to the Bengals in Week 9, missing the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
The 2011 season was the New England Patriots' 42nd in the National Football League (NFL) and their 52nd overall. The Patriots finished the regular season at 13–3, and represented the AFC in Super Bowl XLVI. It was the seventh Super Bowl trip in franchise history, and the fifth for head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.
The 2014 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 82nd season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League (NFL). It also marked the 15th season under leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the eighth under head coach Mike Tomlin.
The 2014 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 62nd season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 31st in Indianapolis. It also marked the third season under head coach Chuck Pagano, general manager Ryan Grigson, and quarterback Andrew Luck.
The 2016 season was the 84th in the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League (NFL). It also marked the 17th season under leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the 10th under head coach Mike Tomlin. For the first time since 2004, tight end Heath Miller was not on the opening day roster, as he announced his retirement on February 19, 2016.
The 2016 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 64th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 33rd in Indianapolis. The Colts matched their 8–8 record from 2015, but would miss the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1997–1998. This season would also see the Colts get swept by the Houston Texans for the first time in franchise history. As a result, the Colts fired general manager Ryan Grigson after five seasons with the team. However, head coach Chuck Pagano would return the next year.
The 2020 season was the Pittsburgh Steelers' 88th in the National Football League (NFL), their 20th playing home games at Heinz Field, their 21st under general manager Kevin Colbert, and their 14th under head coach Mike Tomlin. The team vastly improved on their 8–8 record from 2019 beginning the season 11–0, a franchise-best. They became the first NFL team to do so since the Carolina Panthers in the 2015 season. However, that streak was broken after a Week 13 loss to the Washington Football Team; the loss was the first of four in a five-game span to close the regular season. The Steelers clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2017 after the Miami Dolphins' Week 14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and clinched their first AFC North title since 2017 with a Week 16 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
The 2021 season was the Pittsburgh Steelers' 89th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 22nd and final season under general manager Kevin Colbert and their 15th under head coach Mike Tomlin. They failed to improve upon their 12–4 record from 2020 and failed to win their division in back to back years for the first time since 2016–2017. However, despite only having a 6% chance to make the playoffs according to FiveThirtyEight before Week 18, they did clinch a Wild Card spot that week as well as make the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 2014–2017 after defeating the Baltimore Ravens, combined with the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers not tying and the Jacksonville Jaguars upsetting the Indianapolis Colts; this came despite the Steelers finishing with a −55 point differential. However the Steelers were defeated in the first round of the playoffs by the Kansas City Chiefs 42–21.