TAMPA - Riding a prime-time win over Dallas and a mini-bye weekend, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 18 at Raymond James Stadium, with kickoff set for 1:00 p.m.
The Buccaneers enter the matchup at 1-4 after a 24-16 victory over the Cowboys, a game defined by 241 rushing yards and a 3-0 turnover advantage. Rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels, starting in place of injured Baker Mayfield, completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in his second NFL start.
Running back Bucky Irving was the engine of the offense, rushing for a career-high 165 yards and a touchdown while adding two catches for 10 yards and another score. The win leaves Tampa Bay just one game behind the NFC South leaders.
Pittsburgh arrives at 2-2 after a 27-24 loss at Cleveland, in which quarterback Aaron Rodgers tied the game on a touchdown pass to Pat Freiermuth only to have Browns kicker Andre Szmyt end it with a 56-yard field goal. Through four weeks, Rodgers has thrown for 999 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions. Running back Jaylen Warren has rushed for 309 yards at 5.6 yards per carry, and edge rusher T.J. Watt leads a defense that ranks 13th in yards allowed with 4.5 sacks already this season - adding to his career total of 119.5.
The series history heavily favors Pittsburgh, which holds a 10-2 edge across 12 all-time meetings. The most recent came in 2022, when the Steelers edged Tampa Bay 20-18 in Pittsburgh. The Buccaneers have faced Rodgers seven times, including playoffs, and won four of those contests - most notably the 2020 NFC Championship Game. Sunday’s matchup will be the first time Tampa Bay’s defense has seen Rodgers since he departed Green Bay in 2023.
The Steelers play the Indianapolis Colts at home in Week Five before traveling to Tampa, giving both teams a look at their opponent’s most recent performance ahead of the October 18 kickoff.