All signs point to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returning for a 17th season with the Steelers, but will that be enough to keep the Steelers among the AFC’s elite? The guys discuss Big Ben’s sticky contract situation, and the very real possibility that fan favorites like Bud Dupree, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Alejandro Villanueva wind up leaving in free agency. All that and more in the return of the Steelers Wire Podcast for the 2021 season!

The Steelers’ season is over after spotting the Cleveland Browns a 28-0 lead in the first quarter of Sunday night’s wild-card playoff game. Now, the Steelers have some difficult decisions to make on soon-to-be free agents like JuJu Smith-Schuster and Bud Dupree. The elephant in the room is Ben Roethlisberger’s $41.3M cap hit as it currently stands entering the offseason. The guys react to the Steelers’ stunning loss to the Browns and start to look ahead to 2021. The 20th and final Steelers Wire Podcast episode of the 2020 season is powered by the USA Today Sports Media Group, with sports betting advice for the NFL playoffs from the Sportsbook Wire.

The Steelers will play the Browns for the second straight week and third time this season during the NFL’s wild-card playoff round, and they’ll have a noticeable advantage. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio were among the team’s positive COVID-19 tests this week. That means they’ll be away from the team quarantining when the Steelers play the Browns on Sunday night. The guys react to that wild situation, and discuss why a bet on the once 11-0 Steelers to win the Super Bowl could produce some lucrative returns. Episode 19 of the Bucs Wire podcast is powered by the USA Today Sports Media Group, with sports betting advice for the NFL playoffs from the Sportsbook Wire.

 Simply put, the Steelers needed that. Their second-half rally from 24-7 down to the Colts clinched the AFC North title, and earned some rest for some key starters like Ben Roethlisberger coming up in Week 17. The guys react to Pittsburgh’s huge win over the Colts, Mike Tomlin’s strategy in Week 17, and whether this once 11-0 Steelers team could be now seen as a dark horse entering the playoffs. Episode 18 of the Steelers Wire podcast is powered by the USA Today Sports Media Group, with a fantasy segment from The Huddle and sports betting advice from the Sportsbook Wire.

Three weeks ago, the Steelers were the only undefeated team in the NFL at 11-0. Now, they’ve lost three straight and couldn’t even hang with the two-win Bengals on Monday night. The guys break down that embarrassing loss, and the universal game plan that opponents are using to bottle up Pittsburgh’s explosive offense. Other topics include Big Ben’s future, and a preview of this week’s showdown with the Colts. Episode 17 of the Steelers Wire podcast is powered by the USA Today Sports Media Group, with a fantasy segment from The Huddle and sports betting advice from the Sportsbook Wire.

The once 11-0 Steelers have hit a rough patch. QB Ben Roethlisberger is struggling to keep defenses honest down the field. The receivers are having a hard time catching the ball. The defense is plagued by injuries. And the running game remains nonexistent. Host Ryan O’Leary and Steelers Wire editor Curt Popejoy discuss Pittsburgh’s loss to the Bills, coach Mike Tomlin’s decision to bench star wideout Diontae Johnson in the first half, and the team’s chances at righting the ship in time to make a deep playoff run. Episode 16 of the Steelers Wire podcast is powered by the USA Today Sports Media Group, with a fantasy segment from The Huddle and sports betting advice from the Sportsbook Wire.

At least one national sports media personality was excited to see the Steelers fall to Washington, and that was Colin Cowherd. Host Ryan O’Leary and Steelers Wire editor Curt Popejoy discuss some glaring flaws in the Steelers’ game right now, and react to Cowherd’s commentary that teams like the Giants and Patriots are better. The guys also preview this week’s showdown against the Bills and red-hot quarterback Josh Allen. Episode 15 of the Steelers Wire Podcast is powered by USA TODAY Sports and includes fantasy football smart plays from The Huddle.com, and sports betting advice from USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire.

 It wasn’t pretty, but the Steelers defeated the short-handed Baltimore Ravens. 19-14, to push their record to 11-0. The bad news is that star linebacker Bud Dupree left the game with a knee injury, and early reports Wednesday night indicate that Dupree is done for the season with a torn ACL. Host Ryan O’Leary and Steelers Wire editor Curt Popejoy discuss the Dupree injury, schedule challenges, and the Steelers issues Wednesday with catching and tackling. Episode 14 of the Steelers Wire Podcast is powered by USA TODAY Sports and includes fantasy football smart plays from The Huddle.com, and sports betting advice from USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire.

The Steelers were stripped of their Thanksgiving Night rivalry game against the Ravens (that game is now scheduled for Sunday at 1:15 p.m. EST), but they’re still 10-0 with several winnable games coming up on the schedule. Host Ryan O’Leary and Steelers Wire editor Curt Popejoy finally pop the question: Can the 2020 Steelers run the table? The guys also discuss Ben Roethlisberger’s resume for league MVP, and Hines Ward’s chances of being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This podcast is powered by USA Today Sports and includes fantasy picks of the week from The Huddle, and sports betting advice from the Sportsbook Wire.

The Steelers crushed the Bengals to remain the NFL’s only undefeated team, but after rushing for less than 50 yards for the third straight game, host Ryan O’Leary and Steelers Wire editor Curt Popejoy question how long this streak will last if they don’t get that part of their game untracked. The guys also discuss Pittsburgh’s path to the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, and look ahead to what could be a trap game this week against the Jaguars. This podcast is powered by USA Today Sports and includes fantasy advice from The Huddle, as well as a sports betting pick of the week from The Sportsbook Wire.