Long wait to clinch AFC North title ends for Steelers with win vs. Colts

The boxes of hats and T-shirts signifying an AFC North championship finally came out of storage Sunday afternoon for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Rallying from a 17-point second-half deficit, the Steelers used three touchdown passes from Ben Roethlisberger to defeat the Indianapolis Colts, 28-24, at Heinz Field and clinch the team’s first division title since 2017.

“We’ve been waiting to put them on for a few weeks now,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “There is a lot of excitement in there now — and rightfully so.”

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Steelers, who improved to 12-3 and can be no lower than the No. 3 seed in the AFC when the playoffs begin in January.

“We’re humbled and honored to be AFC North champs,” Tomlin said. “When we started this journey July 20, that was our initial goal, and then we go from there. It’s good to be at this point and good to push forward.”

The Steelers were on the verge of capturing the division title in early December when they improved to 11-0. But three consecutive losses, including an ugly defeat at last-place Cincinnati, put the Steelers just a game ahead of second-place Cleveland with two games remaining.

The Steelers entered the day needing a win over the Colts or a Browns loss at the one-win New York Jets to clinch the division. Both scenarios transpired, but nobody on the Steelers wanted to back into the title and take a four-game losing streak into the season finale.

“We needed this game,” defensive end Stephon Tuitt said.

With the AFC North title in hand, Tomlin can elect to rest his starters next Sunday in Cleveland in preparation for the playoff opener at Heinz Field in two weeks. It’s a decision that wasn’t on his mind after the game.

“We’ll ponder those possibilities in the morning,” Tomlin said. “Tonight, we’re going to wear our hats and T-shirts.”