Steelers Have Massive Advantage To Open Up 2025 Regular Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers are ready for the 2025 season with their new schedule. Their first four games got leaked relatively quick, with the Ireland matchup being announced earlier than the others to go with the other International Games. They have plenty of time to prepare for these early contests, especially since their former quarterback, Justin Fields, will be starting in Week 1 against them barring some unfortunate injury happening in training camp or the preseason. 

Even with Fields knowing the Steelers' system, Pittsburgh has a massive advantage heading into their Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets, as pointed out by Andrew Fillipponi on 93.7 The Fan.

"I think the Jets are very beatable," Fillipponi said. "It's going to be Aaron Glenn's first game. I think first-ever head coaches' winning percentage in their opening game in Week 1 is extremely low. It's the first time in that spot. You're not going to be as good in that game as you are 10 or 15 games down the road. There's nerves, there's butterflies, there's possibly diarrhea. There's all that."

After spending four years as the defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, Aaron Glenn gets his first crack at running a whole team. Many questions come up with a new hire, like how they prepare their team and if they can be the boost that a team like the Jets desperately needs. Even with all the unknowns, there is a lot to learn, and that simply does not happen during the offseason programs. 

That is the perfect time for the Steelers to strike. They can take full advantage of an inexperienced leader and shut down any game plan that the Jets may come up with to start the season. They can't give Glenn a chance to get comfortable and do what he wants to do. Head Coach Mike Tomlin and his staff need to prove their superiority in the first quarter and never look back. 

The Steelers had a very similar situation to begin 2024. They had a revenge game on the road in Week 1 against a new head coach. While Raheem Morris had coached before, it had been over a decade since his last gig as the main guy. He was looking to start the season off on the right foot, as Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith was looking for revenge against the team that fired him after the previous season.

Smith's offense did well overall, but it just could never finish drives. Seven trips into opponent's territory resulted in six field goals and a turnover on downs. That was still enough to win, as the defense shut down the Atlanta Falcons' offense for most of the game. The final score was 18-10. Atlanta failed to score a single point in the second half of the game. 

Steelers' 2025 Schedule Signals Aaron Rodgers Is Coming To Pittsburgh

This wouldn't be a Steelers news piece without Aaron Rodgers being mentioned. With this game being the first one of the season, the schedule-makers are likely predicting that the former MVP will sign in Pittsburgh so he could face his former team immediately. Rodgers versus Fields playing on opposite teams from where they played in 2024 would be seen as a marquee matchup for the NFL.

Rodgers has still not signed yet, which threw a wrench into the schedule-makers' plans. If he did sign, maybe that game becomes a primetime game, but there is still the threat of him retiring or signing elsewhere, leaving the Steelers to start Mason Rudolph. 

That takes away some of the excitement from the game if that's the case. No matter how hyped this contest is before the two teams officially kick off, Tomlin and his squad have to be ready to take down a first-time head coach and scramble his brains.