Latest NFL news lends credence to dream Thanksgiving Day for Steelers fans

Following the announcement that the Dallas Cowboys will play the Cleveland Browns in Week 1, the field of opponents for Pittsburgh's 2024 regular season opener has been narowed. 

When the league announced that Eagles vs. Packers would take place on Friday, September 6th, that signaled that the battle of Pennsylvania would have to wait until later in the season. 

The league then announced the overall season opener on Thursday, Septemeber 5th between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens, two opponents slated to play Pittsburgh. 

So when it was revealed that the Cowboys would play the Browns in Week 1, a lightbulb of Steelers-Cowboys on Thanksgiving started blinking. 

The two teams haven't played since 2020, and the Steelers haven't played on Thanksgiving Day since 2016, marking what would be a highly anticipated matchup between the two biggest brands in the sport. 

Russell Wilson Returns to Denver To Open the Season

Easily the biggest revenge game of his career, the scrutiny that Wilson faced when he returned to Seattle for the first time will pale in comparison to what happens when he returns to Empower Field at Mile High Stadium. 

Wilson's departure from Seattle wasn't exactly a "clean break" but he won a Super Bowl there and was still highly regarded by much of the fanbase. 

The same can't be said in Denver, where Wilson didn't build up equity with the Bronco fanatics, and was so loathed by HC Sean Payton that he shipped him out after only one season together, allocating an NFL record dead cap change. 

So how do you add even more motivation and anticipation from both sides? You give them over three months of preparation for each other by kicking off the season against one another. 

Steelers Awarded 5 Primetime/Standalone Games

The Steelers have the hardest schedule in the league as we approach the season. One look at their home and away opponents proves as much, where besides playing six divisional games that include teams all returning from winning seasons, they face teams like Kansas City, Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Chargers, all of whom have playoff and or Super Bowl aspirations. 

So if you think of how many premier opponents Pittsburgh has, on top of the change at QB and overall interest surrounding the team, five stand-alone games is a real possibility.