Steelers: Predicting primetime TV games for 2023

The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the NFL’s marquee franchises. How many primetime games will they get for the 2023 season?

Few teams in the NFL have more brand recognition than the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although they may not be a top Super Bowl contender right now, Pittsburgh has a loyal fan base as a result of a winning tradition dating back to the Steel Curtain dynasty of the 1970s, which racked up four Super Bowls in four appearances in the big game.

Things still look good for Pittsburgh, however, since a late-season surge behind the emergence of rookie Kenny Pickett left them just shy of the playoffs in 2022. The Steelers will have their work cut out for them to qualify for the postseason in the loaded AFC but there’s no question that the NFL will schedule Pittsburgh in prime broadcast slots to take advantage of their name recognition.

How many primetime games will the Steelers get?

Besides their AFC North foes, Pittsburgh will play teams from the AFC South and NFC West, adding a few intriguing opponents to the slate. The three placement games are at home against Green Bay and New England with a road trip to Las Vegas, offering more intriguing options for the league to consider.

It is a safe bet that Pittsburgh will draw at least a pair of appearances on NBC’s Sunday Night Football since they are one of the league’s most popular teams. The name value of Pittsburgh is also valuable since the NFL can pair an ascending team without much name recognition, such as Jacksonville, with the Steelers in order to try and draw some ratings.

The Steelers’ AFC North rivalries are also good bets to draw ratings, especially the physical blood bath that their games with the Ravens entail. In the end, expect to see plenty of Pittsburgh in nationally televised slots throughout the season, although the NFL may opt to play it safe and schedule some of Pittsburgh’s primetime appearances for later in the season in case they underachieve and need to be flexed out.

Steelers Primetime Games: 4 (Vs. Bengals, At Ravens, Vs. Packers, Vs. Browns)