With NFL training camps kicking off in July, it's time to get up to speed on all 32 NFL teams. Nick Shook has the lowdown on position battles, key players and notable subplots across the AFC North.
Catch up on the Pittsburgh Steelers' offseason developments and 2025 outlook below.
Training Camp Dates/Information
- Players report: July 23 (rookies and veterans)
- Location: Saint Vincent College | Latrobe, Pennsylvania (fan information)
Notable Roster Changes
| 2025 Draft class | Selection |
|---|---|
| Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon | Round 1 (No. 21 overall) |
| Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa | Round 3 (No. 83 overall) |
| Jack Sawyer, Edge, Ohio State | Round 4 (No. 123 overall) |
| Yahya Black, DT, Iowa | Round 5 (No. 164 overall) |
| Will Howard, QB, Ohio State | Round 6 (No. 185 overall) |
| Carson Bruener, LB, Washington | Round 7 (No. 178 overall) |
| Donte Kent, CB, Central Michigan | Round 7 (No. 229 overall) |
Preseason Schedule
- Week 1: at Jacksonville Jaguars | 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 9
- Week 2: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 16
- Week 3: at Carolina Panthers | 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 23
2025 Schedule Note
- Four of the Steelers' final six games will come against teams that made the playoffs last season.
-- NFL Research
What You Need To Know
1) Aaron Rodgers is riding off in black and gold. The long-awaited (and reportedly covert) addition of Rodgers was finally made official in early June, securing a proven veteran at a position that has been quite a weakness for Pittsburgh since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. Rodgers isn't guaranteed to thrive, of course, but if he can replicate his performances from the back half of the 2024 season with the Jets, the Steelers will be a better team offensively than they were last year. They also seem to feel encouraged by the moves they've made at the positions surrounding Rodgers, building upon a successful offensive line reconstruction by trading for receiver DK Metcalf and shipping George Pickens out to Dallas. Time will tell whether their offseason was truly filled with upgrades, but with Rodgers on the roster -- and launching a retirement tour after revealing it's likely his last NFL season -- Pittsburgh is clearly all in on 2025.
2) The Steelers are feeling the playoff heat. Mike Tomlin is the longest-tenured active coach in the NFL right now, entering his 19th season at the helm of the Steelers. Despite frequently overcoming odds to reach the postseason, Tomlin's Steelers haven't won a playoff game since 2016. The lowly Browns have won a playoff game (over Pittsburgh, in fact) more recently than the Steelers, testing the ever-thinning patience of Steeler Nation entering 2025. With Rodgers on the roster, the Steelers have acted accordingly. Just take one look at the veterans they'd added this offseason: Rodgers, Metcalf, Darius Slay, Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. As my former colleague Andrew Siciliano noted on social media, the average age of that group of five is 32.4 years old. They're focused on ending their playoff win drought once and for all in 2025 -- but they can only do so if their offseason gambles pay off.
3) T.J. Watt still hasn't received an extension. AFC North rival Myles Garrett reset the edge rusher market with a jaw-dropping four-year, $160 million deal earned by first publicly requesting a trade and embarking on a media tour to apply pressure on the Browns until they finally opened their wallets. Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby also signed a lucrative deal, leaving Watt as one of the few remaining premier edge rushers without a contract extension in hand. Whenever the Steelers' defense needs to make a play in a key spot, it has almost always been Watt doing so. He's already a Steelers legend, but knows there's no guarantee Pittsburgh will ensure he retires in the Steel City. After all, his brother, Texans legend J.J. Watt, finished his career with two seasons in Arizona. If the Steelers want to cap what they deem a successful offseason, they'll need to find a way to pay Watt -- ideally before camp starts.
