For the Pittsburgh Steelers, the postseason has shifted from a yearly expectation to a decade of frustration. Despite Mike Tomlin’s vaunted streak of non-losing seasons, the ability to win games in January has eluded the franchise for nearly ten years. Since, the Steelers have had six consecutive playoff defeats, a skid that has seen them outscored and outmatched regardless of the opponent.
What was once the standard in the Steel City has become a distant memory; Pittsburgh has now gone nine seasons without advancing in the bracket, leaving a once-dominant organization searching for answers.
To find the last time the Steelers actually won a playoff game, you have to go all the way back to the 2016 season. That January night in Kansas City, fueled by an opportunistic defense and Chris Boswell’s leg, feels like a different era of football entirely.
Let's revisit the last time the Steelers won a playoff game.
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The last time Steelers won a playoff game
Pittsburgh last won a playoff game nine years ago, back during the Steelers' 2016 season. Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell were both still in Pittsburgh facing Alex Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs entered this game 12-4 and had already clinched a playoff berth by Christmas. The Steelers, meanwhile, entered Week 11 sitting at 4-5 but rattled off seven straight victories, including a 27-24 overtime victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 17.
The Chiefs were favorites heading into the matchups with home field advantage, but the Steelers had plenty of late-season momentum.
As for the game itself, this one should be called "the Chris Boswell game." The Steelers ended up scoring zero touchdowns, as Boswell hit a whopping six field goals, including two 43-yarders, a 45-yarder and a 48-yarder. The Steelers' defense forced two turnovers on the night, as well. Pittsburgh led 12-7 at halftime and led 15-10 entering the fourth quarter.
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Following another Boswell field goal to put the Steelers up by eight, Kansas City responded with a touchdown with 2:43 left, but the Chiefs' two-point conversion failed.
Though the Steelers didn't find paydirt, the three "Killer B's" all produced, with Bell tallying 142 rushing yards and Brown 108 receiving yards. Pittsburgh went on to lose to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship.
Since that victory over the Chiefs in January 2017, the Steelers have now gone 0-6 in playoff games, which is the l ongest active streak in the NFL (in terms of consecutive losses), and Pittsburgh's longest-playoff victory drought in the Super Bowl era. Here's a look at how the Steelers have fared in playoff games since then:
- Jan. 22, 2017: Lost 36-17 to the New England Patriots.
- Jan. 14, 2018: Lost 45-42 to the Jacksonville Jaguars
- Jan. 10, 2021: Lost 48-37 to the Cleveland Browns
- Jan. 16 2022: Lost 42-21 to the Kansas City Chiefs
- Jan. 15 2024: Lost 31-17 to the Buffalo Bills
- Jan. 11, 2025: Lost 28-14 to the Baltimore Ravens
The Steelers missed out on the playoffs during the 2018, 2019 and 2022 seasons.
"What you mentioned is my story," Tomlin said via ESPN when asked about the playoff drought in 2024. "It's not this collective's story. Many of these guys involved do not tote those bags. I happily tote those bags, but it's not something that I'm going to project on the collective."
It is true that this is an entirely different team than the one Tomlin had in 2016 — Boswell is still Pittsburgh's kicker, however. Just as the Steelers didn't lead at any point in their last four regular season games, they have lost each of their last four playoff games by double-digits.
"To be honest with you, I hadn't spent a lot of time pondering that in the last 48 hours," Tomlin said of takeaways he's had from Pittsburgh's last three playoff losses. "I've been getting ready specifically for this game with this collective."
ESPN's FPI gave Pittsburgh a 27.8 percent chance to win in Baltimore on Saturday.
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Steelers' Super Bowl record
The Steelers are 6-2 in the Super Bowl all-time, with their most recent victory coming in 2008, in Mike Tomlin's second season in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh's six Super Bowl titles is tied with the New England Patriots for most all-time titles in the league.
Here are the Steelers' Super Bowl victories, including the winning head coach:
- 1974: Won Super Bowl 9 over the Minnesota Vikings 16-6, Chuck Noll
- 1975: Won Super Bowl 10 over the Dallas Cowboys 21-17, Chuck Noll
- 1978: Won Super Bowl 13 over the Dallas Cowboys 35-31, Chuck Noll
- 1979: Won Super Bowl 14 over the Los Angeles Rams 31-19, Chuck Noll
- 2005: Won Super Bowl 40 over the Seattle Seahawks 21-10, Bill Cowher
- 2008: Won Super Bowl 43 over the Arizona Cardinals 27-23, Mike Tomlin
Steelers playoff record
Pittsburgh is 36-29 overall in the playoffs, with an 0-5 mark dating back to the 2017 season.
Mike Tomlin's playoff record
Tomlin is 1-1 in Super Bowls, losing Super Bowl 45 in 2011, 31-25, to his 2025 quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. In the playoffs, he is 8-11 overall.