Falcons at Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers 42, Atlanta Falcons 35 · Belt Boyz Bowl Chasing
Final Score
Falcons 35 5 TD · 0 FG · 5 XP
Steelers 42 6 TD · 0 FG · 6 XPMichael Penix Jr 419 yds passingBijan Robinson 162 yds rushingKyle Pitts Sr 117 yds receivingA.J. Terrell Jr 3 tkl defenseTotal yards 460 · 488Passing yards 298 · 411Rushing yards 162 · 77Completions 11/20 · 15/26Yards per carry 8.1 · 5.1Recap
Franchise Hub Beat · 1d ago
The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the 2026 season with a thrilling 42-35 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in a high-scoring Week 1 clash. Both teams showcased their offensive firepower, but it was the Steelers who managed to hold off a late surge from the Falcons to secure the win.
Michael Penix Jr. led the way for Pittsburgh, throwing for an impressive 419 yards and contributing significantly to the team's scoring efforts. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers kept Atlanta in the game with four touchdown passes, while Bijan Robinson's stellar performance on the ground, racking up 162 rushing yards, highlighted the Falcons' potent attack. Not to be overlooked, Kyle Pitts Sr. added 117 receiving yards, making him a key target for Rodgers throughout the contest.
Defensively, the Steelers made crucial plays that ultimately influenced the game's outcome. Cole Holcomb led the team with three total tackles, while Cam Heyward's sack put pressure on Atlanta's offensive rhythm. The turning point came when A.J. Terrell Jr. intercepted a pass late in the game, giving the Steelers the momentum they needed to maintain their lead and seal the victory.
Box Score
| Player | C/A | PCT | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcons | ||||||
| Aaron RodgersQB | 11/20 | 55% | 309 | 4 | 3 | 99.9 |
| Steelers | ||||||
| Michael Penix JrQB | 15/26 | 58% | 419 | 4 | 2 | 109.7 |
| Player | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcons | |||||||
| Bijan RobinsonHB | 20 | 162 | 8.1 | 24 | 1 | 61 | 0 |
| Steelers | |||||||
| Rico DowdleHB | 10 | 57 | 5.7 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Michael Penix JrQB | 4 | 18 | 4.5 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Jaylen WarrenHB | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | — | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Ben SkowronekWR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcons | |||||||
| Kyle Pitts SrTE | 4 | 117 | 29.3 | 21 | 0 | 58 | 0 |
| Zachariah BranchWR | 3 | 94 | 31.3 | 39 | 2 | 42 | 0 |
| Jalin HyattWR | 2 | 53 | 26.5 | 17 | 1 | 40 | 0 |
| Drake LondonWR | 1 | 39 | 39.0 | 7 | 1 | 39 | 0 |
| Bijan RobinsonHB | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Steelers | |||||||
| DK MetcalfWR | 4 | 113 | 28.3 | 26 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| Pat FreiermuthTE | 5 | 111 | 22.2 | 71 | 1 | 34 | 0 |
| Germie BernardWR | 2 | 83 | 41.5 | 19 | 1 | 60 | 0 |
| Ben SkowronekWR | 2 | 72 | 36.0 | 12 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| Roman WilsonWR | 1 | 36 | 36.0 | — | 1 | 36 | 0 |
| Rico DowdleHB | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | — | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Player | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcons | |||||
| A.J. Terrell JrCB | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Kendal DanielsWILL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Zah FrazierCB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Zach HarrisonDT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Avieon TerrellCB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Sydney BrownSS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah BoldenCB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Billy Bowman JrFS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lonnie Johnson JrFS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steelers | |||||
| DeShon ElliottSS | 2 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen RamseyFS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton WilsonWILL | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam HeywardDT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cole HolcombWILL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ernest Jones IVMIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. WattLEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandin EcholsCB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sebastian Joseph-DayDT | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sean Murphy-BuntingCB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel DeanCB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Player | FG | XP | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Falcons | |||
| Nick FolkK | 0/0 | 5 | 0 |
| Steelers | |||
| Chris BoswellK | 0/0 | 6 | 0 |