For the first time since Apple released the original iPhone, the Pittsburgh Steelers will start the season with a head coach on the sidelines who isn’t Mike Tomlin. Tomlin departed during the offseason after going 10-7 for the third straight season. The team won the AFC North, but lost in the Wild Card Round to the Houston Texans, 30-6. Tomlin compiled impressive records and stats during his 19-year run as the team’s head coach, but can making a move to a new voice in the locker room help the Steelers claim another division title and make a deep playoff run? Coach Mike McCarthy was hired and will work again with QB Aaron Rodgers after spending 13 seasons together with the Packers, highlighted by a Super Bowl win after the 2010 season. Can Rodgers and McCarthy turn back the clock and put together another successful season in the Steel City?
Below is my pick and prediction for Pittsburgh’s 2026-27 regular season, including a win total bet on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Steelers win total pick for NFL regular season
This season could develop into a little bit of a transitional year in many ways for the Steelers. McCarthy is coming in and bringing his new voice, offense, and philosophy. The 62-year-old Pittsburgh native is expected to be at the very front end of what could be a long tenure. He has the fourth-most wins among active coaches and has an impressive 174-112-2 in his 18 seasons as a coach.
After his 13 seasons in Green Bay, including his Super Bowl title, he led the Cowboys to three 12-win seasons in his five years at the helm in Dallas from 2020-2024. He took them to the playoffs three times in five seasons before exiting after the 2024 season. He only had seven wins in 2024, but he has at least 10 wins in 11 of his 18 seasons overall.
In his first season in Pittsburgh, Rodgers led the Steelers to 10 wins, matching the total from Justin Fields and Russell Wilson in 2024. He is running it back again for his final season, and he’ll be extra motivated to go out on top.
The Steelers added some new playmakers by bringing in Michael Pittman Jr. in a trade and signing Rico Dowdle, and they also had more picks going into the NFL Draft than any other team. The team lost RB Kenneth Gainwell, WR Calvin Austin III, TE Jonnu Smith and offensive guard Isaac Seumalo.
Pittman should bring nice stability across from DK Metcalf as a second option, and Dowdle should be a nice complement to Jaylen Warren. The timeshare and work division at both premier positions will be frustrating for fantasy players, but the depth should help the offense be stable and productive throughout the year.
The Steelers’ defense relied heavily on turnovers last year, but this year, Patrick Graham will take over as defensive coordinator. Graham comes from the Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll coaching trees, and he will look to improve the yards allowed by the league’s highest-paid defense. The upgraded secondary should be stronger overall, and the defense could improve enough to compensate for any turnover regression.
After so many years under Mike Tomlin, this year’s Steelers will definitely be different, but can they continue to find success?
Best Bet: Steelers over 8.5 regular season wins (+110)
With the proven track record of success with the new head coach and the returning veteran quarterback, only an injury should keep them from getting to nine wins. Dowdle and Pittman are both underrated “win-now” moves, and while the future of the team is still uncertain, it should have enough firepower to get over .500 and end up with at least nine wins in McCarthy’s first year in Pittsburgh.
