The AFC North is shaping up to be one of the NFL’s strongest divisions this season, making the Pittsburgh Steelers’ path to repeating as champions anything but easy. The Baltimore Ravens boast a strong roster and franchise quarterback in Lamar Jackson. The Cincinnati Bengals still have arguably the best group of skill-position players in the league and have made significant additions to their defense this offseason. The Steelers have a new head coach in Mike McCarthy and were active this offseason upgrading several key positions in an attempt to stay competitive.
Baltimore, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are all expected to be in the mix for the AFC North title this season, while the Cleveland Browns are generally viewed as an afterthought in the division race. Despite the Steelers’ consistent ability to remain competitive and the Browns’ major questions at quarterback, CBS Sports made the bold prediction that Pittsburgh will go from “first to worst” in the AFC North this season.
“Aaron Rodgers’ swan song will flame out as the Steelers will finish in last place in their division for the first time since 1988,” Douglas Clawson wrote for CBS Sports in an article making bold predictions for each NFL team this season. “Mike McCarthy won’t be able to turn around a Steelers team that overachieved with Mike Tomlin.”
Not only would it be a disastrous way for Rodgers to end his Hall of Fame career, it would be only the second time that the Steelers finish behind the Browns since the AFC North was formed in 2002. The other instance was 2023 when the Browns posted a 11-6 record behind Comeback Player of the Year Joe Flacco’s resurgence and the Steelers finished 10-7. Both teams lost in the first round of the playoffs on the road.
Clawson’s bold predictions also include the Ravens winning the Super Bowl under new head coach Jesse Minter. Only two rookie head coaches have ever won the Super Bowl, and it hasn’t happened since George Siefert won Super Bowl XXIV with the San Francisco 49ers in the 1990 season.
The bold prediction for the Bengals is perhaps the boldest of all: Clawson predicts Cincinnati will have the NFL’s No. 1 NFL. After finishing last season 31st in total yards allowed and 30th in points allowed, that would be an all-time turnaround. The Bengals made a slew of additions to their defense, headlined by acquiring DT Dexter Lawrence.
If these predictions hold true and the Steelers finish last in the division, it would be a massive disappointment. The Steelers have brought in numerous veterans via trade and free agency this offseason and clearly are under the impression that they can compete. Finishing last in the division would be a terrible way to start the Mike McCarthy era in Pittsburgh.