The Pittsburgh Steelers will not open up the 2024 season on Monday Night Football. Nor will they play the New York Jets, as the Jets are slated to open the season on Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers. The game will take place at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco. The NFL announced the game this morning.
That leaves Pittsburgh’s potential Week 1 opponents to be the Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants and Washington Commanders. It was unlikely that Pittsburgh would play the Jets in Week 1 as the Steelers seem likely to open the season on the road. The Pittsburgh Pirates have a home series during NFL’s opening weekend, so the Steelers are likely to hit the road for their opening matchup.
Of the eight teams the Steelers can possibly play, six of those opponents are road contests, with the Bengals, Broncos, Colts, Commanders, Falcons and Raiders all road options. A return to Denver for Russell Wilson in what will presumably be his first game with the Steelers has been a matchup that’s been talked up a lot this offseason. It may be one the NFL wants at some point in Week 1, although a matchup against the Bengals or Colts may provide a better game.
The Steelers opened up against the 49ers last season, while the Jets will open up on Monday Night Football for the second year in a row. Last season, QB Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles on the fourth play of the game against Buffalo, but he should be in line to make his return to the field against the 49ers. It will also be a matchup to watch as Robert Saleh worked under Kyle Shanahan as the defensive coordinator in San Francisco before taking New York’s head coaching job. Saleh could be on the hot seat in 2024 with the health and play of Rodgers looming large as the Jets try and make the playoffs.
It should be an interesting matchup flush with storylines, and now we’ll wait to see just who the Steelers might play in Week 1 and when that game will happen.
