1. Big-time adds

The makeover started before this offseason’s free agency even began. Word broke on a March Sunday night — the eve of the date of the so-called “legal tampering period” for NFL teams to speak with free agents. The Pittsburgh Steelers traded for DK Metcalf.

It was one of the splashiest veteran acquisitions the team had ever made, a star receiver still in his prime who would get a five-year, $150 million contract.

The Steelers had made their biggest move of 2025.

But… it, arguably, wasn’t. Later on, they signed or traded for Darius Slay, Aaron Rodgers, Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. Throw in camp signing Andrus Peat (a backup at this stage of his career), and that made for six former Pro Bowl honorees added to the roster in one offseason.

Between them, Rodgers (10), Ramsey (7), Slay (6), Peat (3), Metcalf (2) and Smith (1) have combined for 29 Pro Bowl berths. The group also accounts for eight first-team and three second-team AP NFL All Pro honors.

Those six alone combine for 71 seasons of NFL experience. Add further free-agent signings Chuck Clark, Juan Thornhill, Daniel Ekuale, Malik Harrsion, Kenneth Gainwell and Brandin Echols, and it becomes 110 aggregate pro seasons of experience added to the roster.

Seven of the acquisitions are older than 30, with an eighth (Thornhill) soon to turn 30.

2. Tenured

When Rodgers takes his first snap Sunday against the New York Jets, it will have marked his 249th NFL game played. That will tie him for 61st place in NFL history with… Ben Roethlisberger.

Rodgers’ 21st season then will also become official. In the century-plus the NFL has existed, only George Blanda (26), Morten Andersen (25), Adam Vinatieri (24), Tom Brady (23), John Carney (23), Gary Anderson (23) and Jeff Feagles (22) have played more. That means in league history among non-specialists, only Brady is ahead of Rodgers.

Meanwhile — assuming he indeed plays, of course — defensive tackle Cam Heyward’s first snap will make official his 15th season. All of them would be with the Steelers, tying Mike Webster for second-most behind Roethlisberger’s 18.

Incidentally, if Heyward plays and starts all 17 games, he will move from fourth to third on the Steelers franchise list in games played and from sixth to third in games started.

Also, Mike Tomlin on Sunday will begin his 19th season as head coach of the Steelers — only seven coaches have had longer tenures with one team: George Halas (40, Bears), Curle Lambeau (29, Packers), Tom Landry (29, Cowboys), Don Shula (26, Dolphins), Bill Belichick (24, Patriots), Chuck Noll (23, Steelers) and Steve Owen (23, Giants).

Longtime Tomlin contemporary John Harbaugh is entering his 18th season as coach of the Baltimore Ravens.

3. Revolving door

Hard to believe that it was only 21 months ago that Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett each started games at quarterback for the Steelers over a five-day span. Rodgers on Sunday will be the team’s sixth starting quarterback over their past 24 regular-season games.

Rodgers also is the fifth different Week 1 starter over the past five Steelers seasons, joining (in order) Roethlisberger, Trubisky, Pickett and Justin Fields. This is the third time in four seasons that the Steelers’ Week 1 starting QB was making his first start for team. Prior to Trubisky in 2022, that hadn’t happened since Kent Graham in 2000.

Regardless of whether it was during a season opener or not, four of the past five quarterbacks who made a Steelers starting debut won the game — Russell Wilson, Fields, Trubisky and Devlin “Duck” Hodges (Pickett is the only one who lost).

That 4-1 Steelers record over the past five occasions in which it debuted a new QB belies franchise history — they were 8-30-1 in such instances before this run.

4. To what (tight) end?

The Steelers signed one tight end to a $12 million-a-year contract one summer — and signed another for that rate the next. So, why are they investing so much into Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith — to say nothing of the third-round pick spent just 28 months ago on Darnell Washington, and additionally Connor Heyward?

Because the NFL is becoming increasingly tight end-dependent.

According to Sharp Football Analysis, NFL teams deployed two tight ends for 22.1% of snaps last season, the highest rate over the past 25 years. While the Steelers ranked 12th in the NFL at 25.3% (according to Sumer Sports), they led the NFL by going with three tight ends for 15.1% of their offensive snaps.

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