Aaron Rodgers proved there’s still plenty of life in both his arm and the Steelers’ season.
The 42-year-old quarterback threw for a season-high 294 yards, including a 26-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III with 55 seconds remaining, lifting Pittsburgh to a 26–24 victory over the Baltimore Ravens and clinching the AFC North for the first time in five years.
Baltimore had one last chance to snatch the win when rookie kicker Tyler Loop lined up a 44-yard field goal as time expired—but the kick sailed wide right, sending the Steelers sideline into jubilation.
The victory gives Pittsburgh (10–7) the No. 3 seed in the AFC and sets up a Monday playoff opener against Houston (12–5), giving the Steelers a chance to end a postseason win drought stretching nearly a decade.
Rodgers, in his first season with Pittsburgh after two tough years in New York, showcased his signature poise in crunch time, engineering a 65-yard, six-play drive for the game-winning score.
The Ravens (8–9), who had Super Bowl expectations at the start of the season, saw Lamar Jackson pass for 238 yards and three touchdowns, including two deep strikes to Zay Flowers. Baltimore trailed by 10 early but clawed back, taking the lead twice in the fourth quarter before Pittsburgh’s late heroics. Derrick Henry ran for 126 yards, surpassing 13,000 career rushing yards, but the Steelers’ defense largely contained him in the second half.
Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, returning from surgery for a collapsed lung, contributed an interception and noted the calm confidence in his quarterback: “I thought, ‘This is the best dude in the NFL for this moment.’”
The win also pushed coach Mike Tomlin’s regular-season victory total to 193, tying Hall of Famer Chuck Noll for the franchise record.
Injuries: Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton left in the third quarter with a concussion, creating a window for Rodgers to exploit Baltimore’s secondary.
Up next: Pittsburgh hosts Houston in the first round of the playoffs, aiming to end a more than 50-year postseason win drought, while the Ravens regroup in the offseason to find answers for next year with Jackson still in his prime.
