The 2021 season was the Pittsburgh Steelers' 89th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 22nd and final season under general manager Kevin Colbert and their 15th under head coach Mike Tomlin. They failed to improve upon their 12–4 record from 2020 and failed to win their division in back to back years for the first time since 2016–2017. However, despite only having a 6% chance to make the playoffs according to FiveThirtyEight before Week 18, they did clinch a Wild Card spot that week as well as make the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 2014–2017 after defeating the Baltimore Ravens, combined with the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers not tying and the Jacksonville Jaguars upsetting the Indianapolis Colts; this came despite the Steelers finishing with a −55 point differential. However the Steelers were defeated in the first round of the playoffs by the Kansas City Chiefs 42–21.
For the first time since 2009, center Maurkice Pouncey was not on the roster, as he announced his retirement on February 12. Also, for the first time since 2011, guard David DeCastro was not on the roster, as he was released by the Steelers on June 24. It was also quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's final season with the Steelers as he announced his retirement on January 27, 2022, after 18 seasons with the team. A 6-time Pro Bowler, Roethlisberger led the Steelers to 12 playoff appearances and 3 Super Bowl appearances, winning 2 of them in 2005 and 2008 respectively. He also retired as 5th all-time in passing yards, and was the last remaining active quarterback from the 2004 draft class. During the season, running back Najee Harris broke franchise legend Franco Harris's record for most rushing yards by a Steeler rookie with 1,200; the previous record was 1,055.
Transactions The Steelers have been involved in the following transactions during the 2021 season:
Free agent signings Lost Player Lost to Date Contract terms OT Matt Feiler Los Angeles Chargers March 17 3 years / $21 million OLB Bud Dupree Tennessee Titans March 18 5 years / $82.5 million CB Mike Hilton Cincinnati Bengals March 19 4 years / $24 million OLB Ola Adeniyi Tennessee Titans March 22 1 year / $1 million FS Sean Davis Indianapolis Colts April 1 1 year / $1.127 million RB James Conner Arizona Cardinals April 13 1 year / $1.75 million OT Alejandro Villanueva Baltimore Ravens May 6 2 year / $14 million
Acquired Player Acquired from Date Contract terms C B. J. Finney Cincinnati Bengals March 12 3 years / $9.75 million G Joe Haeg Tampa Bay Buccaneers March 24 2 years / $4.6 million LB Miles Killebrew Detroit Lions March 28 1 year / $1.127 million G Rashaad Coward Chicago Bears March 30 1 year / $900,000 RB Kalen Ballage Los Angeles Chargers March 30 1 year / $920,000 DE Abdullah Anderson Chicago Bears April 12 1 year / $780,000 CB Arthur Maulet New York Jets May 7 1 year / $990,000 G Trai Turner Los Angeles Chargers June 25 1 year / $3 million K Sam Sloman Tennessee Titans July 1 1 year / $780,000
Cuts Position Player Date CB Steven Nelson March 23 P Corliss Waitman May 3 TE Charles Jones May 3 CB Trevor Williams May 7 S John Battle May 7 OG David DeCastro June 24
Draft
2021 Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 24 Najee Harris RB Alabama 2 55 Pat Freiermuth TE Penn State 3 87 Kendrick Green C Illinois 4 128 Dan Moore Jr. OT Texas A&M 140 Buddy Johnson ILB Compensatory selection 5 156 Isaiahh Loudermilk DT Wisconsin from Dallas via Philadelphia and Miami 6 216 Quincy Roche OLB Miami from Tampa Bay 7 245 Tre Norwood CB Oklahoma from Miami 254 Pressley Harvin III P Georgia Tech from Baltimore
Undrafted free agents PlayerPositionCollegeShakur BrownCBMichigan StateRico BusseyWRHawaiiIsaiah McKoyWRKent StateRoland Rivers IIIQBSlippery RockCalvin BundageOLBOklahoma StateJamar WatsonILBKentuckyDeMarkus AcyCBMissouriLamont WadeSPenn StateMark GilbertCBDukeDonovan StinerFSFlorida
Pre-draft trades Pittsburgh was awarded a compensatory selection in the fourth round (140th overall). Pittsburgh traded its fifth-round selection to Baltimore in exchange for defensive end Chris Wormley and a seventh-round selection. Pittsburgh traded a sixth-round selection and 2020 first- and fifth-round selections to Miami in exchange for a seventh-round selection, a 2020 fourth-round selection, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Pittsburgh acquired a sixth-round selection from Tampa Bay in exchange for offensive tackle Jerald Hawkins and a seventh-round selection.
Staff
Final roster
Preseason On February 15, the NFL announced that the Steelers would face the Dallas Cowboys in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, August 5, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The game kicked off at 8:00 p.m. EDT, televised by Fox. The Steelers were represented by former head coach Bill Cowher and safeties Troy Polamalu and Donnie Shell. The Steelers and Cowboys were scheduled to play in the 2020 Hall of Fame game; however, the game, the annual Hall of Fame enshrinement, along with the entire 2020 preseason, were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Hall of Fame game between the Steelers and Cowboys was rescheduled for 2021. The Steelers ended up defeating the Cowboys by a score of 16–3.
The remainder of the Steelers' preseason opponents and schedule was announced on May 12.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap HOF vs. Dallas Cowboys W 16–3 1–0 Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium Recap 1 at Philadelphia Eagles W 24–16 2–0 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 2 Detroit Lions W 26–20 3–0 Heinz Field Recap 3 at Carolina Panthers L 9–34 3–1 Bank of America Stadium Recap
Regular season Schedule The Steelers' 2021 schedule was announced on May 12.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 12 at Buffalo Bills W 23–16 1–0 Highmark Stadium Recap 2 September 19 Las Vegas Raiders L 17−26 1–1 Heinz Field Recap 3 September 26 Cincinnati Bengals L 10–24 1–2 Heinz Field Recap 4 October 3 at Green Bay Packers L 17–27 1–3 Lambeau Field Recap 5 October 10 Denver Broncos W 27–19 2–3 Heinz Field Recap 6 October 17 Seattle Seahawks W 23–20 3–3 Heinz Field Recap 7 Bye 8 October 31 at Cleveland Browns W 15–10 4–3 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 9 Chicago Bears W 29–27 5–3 Heinz Field Recap 10 November 14 Detroit Lions T 16–16 5–3–1 Heinz Field Recap 11 November 21 at Los Angeles Chargers L 37–41 5–4–1 SoFi Stadium Recap 12 November 28 at Cincinnati Bengals L 10–41 5–5–1 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 13 December 5 Baltimore Ravens W 20–19 6–5–1 Heinz Field Recap 14 at Minnesota Vikings L 28–36 6–6–1 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 15 December 19 Tennessee Titans W 19–13 7–6–1 Heinz Field Recap 16 December 26 at Kansas City Chiefs L 10–36 7–7–1 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 17 Cleveland Browns W 26–14 8–7–1 Heinz Field Recap 18 January 9 at Baltimore Ravens W 16–13 9–7–1 M&T Bank Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: at Buffalo Bills
The Steelers started their season on the road against the Bills. The first half was all Bills scoring when Tyler Bass kicked a 37-yard field goal to make it 3-0 in the first. In the second quarter, they made the halftime score 10-0 when Josh Allen found Gabe Davis for a 3-yard touchdown pass. After halftime, the Steelers went to work, with Chris Boswell scoring 2 field goals in the third quarter, from 24 and 20 yards out, to make it 10-3 and then 10-6. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers would take the lead when Ben Roethlisberger found Diontae Johnson on a 5-yard touchdown pass to make it 13-10. Miles Killebrew then blocked a punt and Ulysees Gilbert III returned it 9 yards for a touchdown to make it 20-10. The Bills drew closer when Bass kicked a 23-yard field goal to make it 20-13. The Steelers responded with a 45-yard field goal from Boswell to make it 23-13. The Bills then once again came within a touchdown when Bass kicked a 42-yard field goal to make it 23-16. The Bills then tried for an onside kick. However, JuJu Smith-Schuster would recover the kick, sealing the Steelers' victory.
With the win, the Steelers started 1-0.
Week 2: vs. Las Vegas Raiders
After a tough road win, the Steelers headed home to face the Raiders. In the first quarter, Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson kicked a 46-yard field goal to get his team on the board 3-0. They would make it 6-0 in the second quarter when Carlson kicked a 33-yard field goal. The Steelers took the lead when JuJu Smith-Schuster ran for a 3-yard touchdown to make it 7-6. However, the Raiders took the lead back when Carlson kicked a 41-yard field goal to make it 9-7 at halftime. The Raiders increased their lead in the third quarter when Derek Carr found Foster Moreau on a 9-yard touchdown pass to make it 16-7. The Steelers then came within 2 points after Ben Roethlisberger found Najee Harris on a 25-yard touchdown pass to make it 16-14. The Raiders then pulled away when Carr found Henry Ruggs III on a 61-yard touchdown pass to make it 23-14. Chris Boswell then kicked a 56-yard field goal to bring the Steelers within 6, 23-17. The Raiders were able to seal the victory with Carlson's 45-yard field goal to make the final score 26-17.
With the loss, the Steelers fell to 1-1. They lost to the Raiders at home for the first time since 2009.
Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
After a tough loss, the Steelers stayed home for Round 1 against the Bengals. The Bengals scored first in the first quarter for their only score when Joe Burrow found Tyler Boyd on a 17-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-0. The Steelers tied it up in the second quarter when Ben Roethlisberger found Pat Freiermuth on a 4-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-7. The Bengals took the lead back when Burrow found Ja'Marr Chase on a 34-yard touchdown pass for a 14-7 halftime lead. After the break, the Bengals went back to work in the third quarter, scoring twice: Evan McPhearson kicked a 43-yard field goal to make it 17-7, followed by Burrow's third touchdown pass of the day (and second pass to Chase) to make it 24-7. In the fourth quarter, only the Steelers would score with Chris Boswell's 26-yard field goal to make the eventual final score 24-10.
With the loss, the Steelers fell to 1-2. Coupled with wins by the Ravens and Browns, they finished the week in last place in the AFC North. The team lost their second straight game to the Bengals, losing to them in Pittsburgh for the first time since 2015.
Week 4: at Green Bay Packers
After a tough home loss, the Steelers traveled west to take on the Packers. The Steelers scored the only points in the first quarter when Ben Roethlisberger found Diontae Johnson on a 45-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-0. However, the Packers would take the lead in the second quarter by making it 14-7 by way of Aaron Rodgers 1-yard touchdown run, followed by a 23-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb. The Steelers shortened the lead to 4 when Chris Boswell kicked a 53-yard field goal. The Packers moved up by a touchdown after Mason Crosby kicked a 26-yard field goal to make it 17-10 at halftime. In the third quarter, it was all Packers as Crosby made a 29-yard field goal, followed by Rodgers' second touchdown pass to Cobb from a yard out to make it 27-10. The Steelers scored the only points of the fourth quarter with Najee Harris's 1-yard touchdown run to make the final score 27-17.
With the loss, the Steelers fell to 1-3.
Week 5: vs. Denver Broncos