2025 Pittsburgh Steelers Off-Season Updates Presented by GoldSheet | NFL Previews

The Pittsburgh Steelers finally made the deal that was widely-rumored for months: The acquisition of Aaron Rodgers. Pittsburgh has not finished below .500 in the regular season since 2003. Did the Steelers make the right move to preserve that streak, or should the black-and-gold embrace a franchise reset?
2025 Pittsburgh Steelers Team Preview
AFC North Odds
Team | SB LX Odds | AFC | Division | Win Total |
Ravens | +700 | +350 | -145 | 11.5 (o -115 / u -105) |
Bengals | +2000 | +950 | +230 | 9.5 (o -150 / u +125) |
Steelers | +4000 | +2000 | +550 | 8.5 (o +110 / u -130) |
Browns | +25000 | +12000 | +3000 | 4.5 (o -160 / u +135) |
Odds above courtesy of DraftKings as of June 6. The Pittsburgh Steelers went 10-7 straight-up, 11-6 against the spread in the regular season en route to a second-place finish in the AFC North. After opening the year on a 10-3 run, Pittsburgh finished the regular season on a four-game losing streak and was eliminated by the Ravens in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Pittsburgh Steelers Roster Moves
QBs on Roster: Aaron Rodgers (1st Year w/ Team); Skylar Thompson (1st Year w/ Team); Mason Rudolph (6th Year w/ Team); and Will Howard (Rookie)
Coaching Changes: No major changes. One of the league’s most-stable franchises will have stability once again as head coach Mike Tomlin, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin will all return.
Key Acquisitions: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers; Wide receiver D.K. Metcalf; Wide receiver Robert Woods; Linebacker Malik Harrison; Defensive lineman Daniel Ekuale; Cornerback Brandin Echols; and running back Kenneth Gainwell
Key Departures: Quarterback Russell Wilson; Offensive lineman Dan Moore Jr.; Defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi; Offensive lineman James Daniels; Cornerback Donte Jackson; Linebacker Elandon Roberts; Running back Najee Harris; and Wide receiver George Pickens
2025 Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Picks: R1 P21 Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon; R3 P83 Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa; R4 P123 Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State; R5 P164 Yahya Black, DL, Iowa; R6 P185 Will Howard, QB, Ohio State; R7 P226 Carson Bruener, LB, Washington; R7 P229 Donte Kent, CB, Central Michigan
2025 Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule

****GS Line represents our projected point spreads using our summer power ratings. Special thanks to Ralph Michaels (@CalSportsLV) for his assistance in putting the schedules together with rest disparities and DraftKings’ opening spreads.
2025 NFL Rule Changes
- Touchbacks on a kickoff will now give the receiving team the ball on the 35-yard line instead of the 30 in an effort to increase more kick returns and discourage touchbacks.
- The regular season overtime rules will now match the postseason overtime rules, as both teams will now have an opportunity to possess the ball regardless of the outcome of the first drive. Per Jon Ferrari of the Eagles, 37.5-percent of last year’s overtime games ended with a first-drive touchdown. The new rule will allow both teams to have the ball.
- The video review booth will have an increased role in assisting the on-field officials. The video assistants can’t put a flag on the field if they believe that the officials missed a call, but they can pick one up if an erroneous flag is thrown (i.e. a facemask penalty is called, but upon video review, it’s determined that the facemask was never actually grabbed).
- Artificial intelligence and lasers will be used to determine the remaining yardage for a first down. The officials are still responsible for spotting the football just like they always have, but technology will now do the job of the chain gang and they will no longer have to run in from the sidelines for a first down measurement. Once the official places the ball down, lasers will determine if the offense reached the first down line and/or how far away they are from reaching that mark.
- Teams that are trailing will now be able to attempt an onside kick at any point in the game from the 34-yard-line (instead of the traditional kickoff spot at the 35-yard-line). Previously, teams were only able to attempt an onside kick in the fourth quarter.
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WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the moneylines, point spreads, totals and betting percentages for all of the Pittsburgh Steelers games from their release in May all the way through Week 1 in September. Find free NFL picks from season win total bets through Super Bowl futures on our free picks pages.
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