The Pittsburgh Steelers pulled off a surprise AFC North title last season, riding the arm of Aaron Rodgers to a 10-7 record. But if you blinked, you might have missed it—they were bounced in the first round of the playoffs, leaving many to wonder if that division crown was more of a fluke than a foundation.

Now, as the 2026 season looms, the road to repeating looks steep. NFL.com analyst Kevin Patra isn't mincing words: the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals are poised to bounce back in a big way. "The Ravens and Bengals each improved this offseason," Patra notes. "A new coaching staff in Baltimore should bring life to the team, particularly on defense. Cincinnati bolstered a moribund defense significantly. If Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson stay healthy, 10 wins isn’t taking the division again."

That's a sobering reality check for Steelers fans. Last season, even with their own struggles, Baltimore and Cincinnati each managed to split the season series with Pittsburgh. If both teams get their acts together, it's not hard to imagine the Steelers going 0-4 in those critical divisional matchups.

Of course, hope isn't entirely lost. Football has a way of defying expectations, and Pittsburgh still has Rodgers under center—but the margin for error is razor-thin. If the Steelers want to hit double-digit wins again, Rodgers not only needs to return but play better than he did in 2024. Anything less, and the AFC North crown might be heading to a different city this year.