Steelers schedule leaks suggest coal for Christmas in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers had an active offseason, which was in response to the 2023 campaign where they snuck into the playoffs only to get quickly eliminated. by the Buffalo Bills. One of the focal points of the offseason was overhauling the quarterback room, getting rid of Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph to bring in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Not to mention, they have a new offensive coordinator in Arthur Smith, after a failed three-year tenure as Atlanta Falcons head coach. Add an impressive NFL Draft class that had been near-universally praised, and you have a season of interest for the Steelers.

On Wednesday, the Steelers and the rest of the NFL figure out their full schedule. But in the days and hours prior, specific games have been leaked. For the Steelers, they found out they would be playing on Christmas, but against a tough opponent.

Chris Mueller and Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh both tweeted that they've heard the Steelers will play on Christmas Day, where they will host the Kansas City Chiefs. That news was later confirmed by Bleacher Report NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported on Wednesday that the Steelers will indeed host the Chiefs on Christmas, and it will air exclusively on Netflix.

Steelers to host Chiefs on Christmas Day in Week 17 of 2024 season

The Netflix news is brand new, as the streaming service and the NFL have agreed to terms on a deal to exclusively stream Christmas Day games in 2024, 2025, and 2026. As of this writing, only the Chiefs vs. Steelers game is scheduled for the 2024 slate.

This certainly will be a tough challenge for the Chiefs. After all, this is the team that is looking to become the first to ever win the Super Bowl in three consecutive years. Not to mention, Kansas City's roster has improved, especially on offense, with the additions of wide receivers Marquise "Hollywood" Brown and Xavier Worthy.

It's not all doom and gloom, Steelers fans. Remember just last year, the Chiefs played on Christmas Day and lost to the Aidan O'Connell-led Las Vegas Raiders. It's entirely possible to beat the Chiefs. Granted, the team flipped the switch when the playoffs came around and won Super Bowl 58 in overtime. But, regardless.

The Steelers will hope that the new quarterback room and revitalized wide receiving corps and offensive line help the team become contenders next season. They may get a late-season test this upcoming season against the Chiefs on Christmas.