Why the Steelers might surprise everyone in 2026

The Pittsburgh Steelers just won their division for the first time in five years, thanks to Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. But Skip Bayless thinks they won’t do it again. He points to the Bengals and Ravens as teams that could be much stronger in 2026. He’s not wrong—those teams are usually tough competitors when they’re healthy. Still, Bayless has been skeptical of Rodgers before, so maybe he’s just expecting the worst.Rodgers hasn’t played a full season with coach Mike McCarthy since 2016, but when they did team up, they were a powerhouse. In 11 seasons together, they won a Super Bowl and made deep playoff runs. Now, they’re trying to turn the Steelers around. Last year, Pittsburgh ranked near the bottom in both offense and defense. But they’ve added new players like Michael Pittman Jr. and Rico Dowdle, who could help change that. Bayless thinks the Steelers got lucky making the playoffs last season, but finishing 10-7 might actually be their starting point. If they improve even a little, they could be dangerous. The division is tough, but Rodgers and McCarthy have a history of proving critics wrong. Maybe this time, the doubters will be the ones looking silly.