Atlanta
Falcons
0-0
20
FINAL
32
Pittsburgh
Steelers
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe Pittsburgh Steelers kicked off the 2026 season with a strong performance, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 32-20. This matchup marked an important start for both teams, as they sought to establish momentum early in the year. Pittsburgh’s balanced attack proved too much for Atlanta to handle.
Aaron Rodgers led the charge for the Steelers, throwing for 244 yards and a touchdown, showcasing his veteran poise. Germie Bernard was a workhorse in the backfield, racking up 97 rushing yards, while Michael Pittman emerged as a key target, amassing 87 receiving yards. This offensive trio was instrumental in building a solid lead that the Falcons could not overcome.
Defensively, the Steelers were relentless, with Payton Wilson leading the charge with 11 total tackles, providing vital stops throughout the game. T.J. Watt made his presence felt with 1.5 sacks, disrupting Atlanta’s offensive rhythm at crucial moments. The turning point came late in the third quarter when Pittsburgh's defense forced a turnover, allowing them to extend their lead and ultimately seal the victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Rodgers | QB | 23 | 18 | 244 | 1 | 0 | 125.3 |
| Tua Tagovailoa | QB | 26 | 18 | 155 | 0 | 0 | 84.6 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germie Bernard | WR | 1 | 97 | 97.0 | 1 | 97 | 0 |
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 19 | 90 | 4.7 | 2 | 18 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 13 | 66 | 5.1 | 1 | 19 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 7 | 44 | 6.3 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Austin Hooper | TE | 1 | 20 | 20.0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Brian Robinson Jr | HB | 3 | 20 | 6.7 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Michael Pittman | WR | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Drake London | WR | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Tua Tagovailoa | QB | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Darius Slayton | WR | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Pat Freiermuth | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aaron Rodgers | QB | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Pittman | WR | 5 | 87 | 17.4 | 0 | 27 | 1 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 3 | 46 | 15.3 | 1 | 21 | 0 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr | TE | 3 | 46 | 15.3 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Germie Bernard | WR | 4 | 34 | 8.5 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Pat Freiermuth | TE | 1 | 28 | 28.0 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Roman Wilson | WR | 1 | 26 | 26.0 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 2 | 25 | 12.5 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Olamide Zaccheaus | WR | 4 | 23 | 5.8 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Brian Robinson Jr | HB | 2 | 18 | 9.0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Darius Slayton | WR | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 3 | 16 | 5.3 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Austin Hooper | TE | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Drake London | WR | 2 | 10 | 5.0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payton Wilson | WILL | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Jaquan Brisker | SS | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Divine Deablo | MIKE | 7 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pearce Jr | REDG | 6 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tre'Davious White | CB | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Queen | MIKE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Highsmith | REDG | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalon Walker | LEDG | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | LEDG | 2 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jessie Bates III | FS | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyrel Dodson | WILL | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Terrell Jr | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joey Porter | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Wilkins | DT | 2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylen Everette | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean | CB | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Xavier Watts | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Avieon Terrell | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gabe Rubio | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Heyward | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Phillips | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Da'Shawn Hand | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gervon Dexter Sr | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Boswell | K | 4 | 4 | 2 | 52 |
| Nick Folk | K | 2 | 2 | 2 | 51 |

