Carolina
Panthers
6-8
30
FINAL
56
Pittsburgh
Steelers
9-5
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe Pittsburgh Steelers triumphed over the Carolina Panthers with a commanding final score of 56-30 in Week 16 of the 2026 season, solidifying their playoff positioning as the regular season comes to a close. With both teams vying for momentum, the Steelers capitalized on their home field advantage to secure the victory.
Drew Allar led the charge for Pittsburgh, throwing for 273 yards and four touchdowns, showcasing his precision and poise under pressure. Meanwhile, Keaton Mitchell was a dual threat, racking up 158 rushing yards and adding 97 receiving yards to his impressive stat line. His versatility kept the Panthers' defense on their heels throughout the contest.
Defensively, the Steelers were relentless, with Alex Highsmith recording two sacks and Jamel Dean snagging two interceptions, both crucial in turning the tide of the game. Payton Wilson's five total tackles also highlighted a strong defensive performance that stifled Carolina's offensive rhythm. The pivotal moment came when Dean's second interception set up a quick touchdown, giving the Steelers a commanding lead that the Panthers could never recover from.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drew Allar | QB | 19 | 11 | 273 | 4 | 0 | 141.9 |
| Haynes King | QB | 29 | 9 | 207 | 2 | 9 | 41.0 |
| Tommy Mellott | WR | 3 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 56.2 |
| Chris Brazzell II | WR | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keaton Mitchell | HB | 22 | 158 | 7.2 | 4 | 65 | 0 |
| Haynes King | QB | 7 | 157 | 22.4 | 2 | 65 | 0 |
| Chuba Hubbard | HB | 6 | 10 | 1.7 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Max Duggan | QB | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Drew Allar | QB | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tommy Mellott | WR | 1 | -6 | -6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keaton Mitchell | HB | 4 | 97 | 24.3 | 3 | 32 | 0 |
| Denzel Boston | WR | 2 | 82 | 41.0 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
| Tetairoa McMillan | WR | 3 | 72 | 24.0 | 1 | 38 | 0 |
| Tommy Tremble | TE | 1 | 65 | 65.0 | 1 | 65 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 2 | 59 | 29.5 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| Michael Pittman | WR | 1 | 39 | 39.0 | 1 | 39 | 0 |
| Chris Brazzell II | WR | 3 | 36 | 12.0 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| Chuba Hubbard | HB | 1 | 23 | 23.0 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| John Metchie III | WR | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Roman Wilson | WR | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Pat Freiermuth | TE | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joey Porter | SS | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Spears-Jennings | CB | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean | FS | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylen Everette | CB | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Alex Highsmith | REDG | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Johnson | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Payton Wilson | MIKE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Jaelan Phillips | REDG | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trevin Wallace | WILL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Cam Heyward | DT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Scott | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nic Scourton | LEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Jackson | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jaycee Horn | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tre'von Moehrig | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devin Lloyd | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Patrick Queen | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Simmons | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Caleb Farley | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Junior Colson | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Elliss | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chau Smith-Wade | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Fitzgerald | K | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Chris Boswell | K | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |

