The Patriots–Steelers rivalry is a
National Football League (NFL)
rivalry between the
New England Patriots and the
Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots and Steelers are the two most storied franchises in the Super Bowl era, the Patriots and Steelers have played each other intermittently since the 1970s, but the two teams did not become full-fledged rivals until the late 1990s, when they became Super Bowl contenders.[1][2][3] The rivalry would reach new heights during the 2000s and 2010s when both teams, led by quarterbacks
Tom Brady and
Ben Roethlisberger for the Patriots and Steelers respectively, posted winning seasons and several playoff appearances during this time period with both teams making it to the Super Bowl and taking home more than one Vince Lombardi Trophy.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] The two met each other in three AFC championship games during the 2000s and 2010s in which the Patriots defeated the Steelers each time and eventually made their way to the Super Bowl, winning a title in each appearance.[12][13][14]Despite the Patriots' dominant reign over the NFL from 2001 to 2019, the Steelers would still prove themselves to be a consistent playoff contender during that time period with three Super Bowl appearances and two Super Bowl victories. However, the Steelers would be more successful in the postseason during the 2000s than in the 2010s.[15][16][1][17][18][19][20][21][22] In 2020,
CBS Sports ranked the Patriots–Steelers rivalry as the 8th best NFL rivalry of the 2000s.[23]
Because they play in different intraconference divisions, the Patriots in the
AFC East and the Steelers in the
AFC North, they do not play each other every season. Instead, based on the NFL's scheduling formula, the two teams play each other at least once every three seasons and at least once every six seasons at each team's home stadium when their divisions are paired up, sometimes more often if the two teams meet in the playoffs or they finish in the same place in their respective divisions.[24][25][26]
History
The Steelers initially dominated the rivalry, winning 10 of its first 13 meetings with the Patriots. But in the
1996 AFC Divisional Round, the Patriots routed the Steelers 28–3 at
Foxboro Stadium, ending Pittsburgh's five-game winning streak against New England. It also began a stretch where the Patriots won 14 of the next 20 meetings with the Steelers, including four of five postseason matchups. The Patriots would go on to reach and then lose
Super Bowl XXXI against the
Green Bay Packers.[27][28][29] The following year, also in the
divisional round, the Steelers exacted revenge at
Three Rivers Stadium, winning by a 7–6 score to reach their third AFC championship game in four years. This was also the only playoff meeting in which the winner did not eventually advance to the Super Bowl, as the Steelers lost to the eventual champion
Denver Broncos in the
AFC championship game.[28][29] Earlier that season, the Steelers overcame a 14–0 deficit to beat the Patriots on the road 24–21 in overtime. In that game, quarterback
Kordell Stewart managed a game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter culminating in a touchdown to
Mark Bruener and a two-point conversion to
Yancey Thigpen. In overtime, placekicker
Norm Johnson won the game with a 31-yard field goal. The win gave the Steelers a first-round bye and ensured a home game in the divisional round.[30]
In the
2001 season, the Steelers finished with the top seed in the AFC at 13–3. Meanwhile, the Patriots overcame an early-season injury to
Drew Bledsoe, and led by then-second year quarterback
Tom Brady and coached by
Bill Belichick, rallied to finish second at 11–5. The two teams met in the
AFC championship game at
Heinz Field, and with Bledsoe replacing Brady due to injury, the Patriots upset the Steelers 24–17 and went on to win their
first Super Bowl.[28][29]
The
2004 season saw the emergence of
Ben Roethlisberger as the Steelers' starting quarterback. En route to a 15–1 season, Roethlisberger and the Steelers ended the Patriots' record 21-game winning streak on October 31, taking home a 31–24 victory. The Steelers entered the
AFC championship game having won all 15 games Roethlisberger started in his rookie season. However, the streak ended at home as New England defeated Pittsburgh 41–27 en route to winning their
third Super Bowl championship. The defeat also prevented the Steelers from facing their
in-state rivalPhiladelphia Eagles, who had clinched the
NFC championship.[28][29]
The Patriots and Steelers would not meet in the postseason again until
2016. Between those playoff meetings, the Steelers made three Super Bowl appearances and won two (
Super Bowl XL and
XLIII), while the Patriots also made three Super Bowls but won only once (
Super Bowl XLIX). Facing each other at
Gillette Stadium in the
AFC championship game, the Patriots again routed the Steelers 36–17 and went on to win their
fifth Super Bowl.[29][31] The Patriots would win their
sixth Super Bowltwo seasons later, tying the Steelers with the most Super Bowl championships.
Game results
New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Season-by-Season Results
AFC Divisional Round. First postseason meeting in the series. Patriots host first playoff game since
1978. Largest margin of victory in a playoff game in the series. This was the only Patriots' home victory over the Steelers prior to the Tom Brady era. Patriots lose
Super Bowl XXXI.
AFC Divisional Round.
Kordell Stewart's 40-yard touchdown run in the first quarter proved to be the winning score. Most recent NFL playoff game in which neither team scored at least 10 points.
AFC Championship Game. First meeting at Heinz Field. First start in the series for
Tom Brady. Later replaced by
Drew Bledsoe due to injury. Patriots win
Super Bowl XXXVI.
Patriots take first lead in the series. In the closing seconds,
Jesse James of the Steelers appeared to have scored a go-ahead touchdown that would have clinched the AFC's #1 seed, but after review, the call was overturned ruling that Jesse James didn't maintain control of the ball. Two plays later,
Duron Harmon's interception of
Ben Roethlisberger sealed the win for the Patriots, who would instead finish as the AFC's #1 seed. Patriots lose
Super Bowl LII.