30 Scenarios in 30 Days: The Steelers will have a winning December in 2025

by Dave Schofield

07/14/2025

3 Comments

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for the 2025 regular season, but before the real games begin, the team has to head to training camp back at Saint Vincent College in order to fine tune their skills. As we here at SCN prepare you for the start of camp, we give you a series called “30 Scenarios in 30 Days” which gives you a Steelers scenario every day leading up to the start of camp.

It is simple how it works. We provide you the scenario, reasons why it will or won’t happen, and then our prediction for what we think will take place.

Let’s get to the scenario…

Scenario: The Steelers will have a winning December in 2025

Why it will happen: Although it has ultimately September success that determines whether or not the Steelers make the playoffs (hence why I covered this two days ago), the NFL is often a “what have you done for me lately?“ league. With the Steelers falling off a cliff in December last season, that is likely to be the month most fans will look at when the time comes to determine if the team has what it takes to go into the postseason or not.

Looking at things historically, December has typically been a good month for the Steelers compared to September. Under head coach Mike Tomlin, the Steelers have won 60% of their games in December compared to only 54.9% in September. Ultimately it’s strength in October and November that has been the case more than anything as those win percentages are 68.1% and 65% respectively.

Over the last two seasons, the Steelers haven’t been that far from having a winning record in December as they went 2–3 in both years. In 2024, the Steelers faced a historically brutal stretch to close out the season which was talked about well before the regular season kicked off last year. Still, after starting 2–0, the Steelers did not win another game. Even though the opponents in 2025 are still quality, it’s nothing like 2024 where the Steelers needed just one more win to have a winning December.

Why it won’t happen: The 2-3 record listed previously is actually quite common for the Steelers in December. Not only did they have this record in 2024 and 2023, it was their December record in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2012, and 2007. Since 2017 where the Steelers went 4–1 in December, the only year that they have had a winning December was in 2022 when they went 3–1. For those who noticed the year 2021 is missing, it’s because the Steelers went 2–2.

As much as history comes into play, the opponents must also be taken into consideration. While some people believe the Steelers play the Buffalo Bills in December, it’s actually the final day of November which leaves the Steelers with only four games in the final month of 2025. They are as follows:

Week 14: Sunday, 12/7, @ Baltimore Ravens 1 PM
Week 15: Sunday, 12/15 vs Miami Dolphins 8:15 PM (MNF)
Week 16: Sunday 12/21 @ Detroit Lions 4:25 PM
Week 17: Sunday 12/28 vs Cleveland Browns 1 PM

Looking at that schedule, it’s not difficult to find two wins for the Steelers, but finding a third is a whole different story. Facing two teams which went 12–5 and 15–2 in 2024, with both contests being on the road, is a tall order for the Steelers to pull out at least three wins.

Prediction: While I believe the Steelers can go 2–2 in December and that would be considered a quality month based on their opponents, I would not place a wager on them getting three wins in those four games. Because it’s only four December games in 2025 and the Steelers would have to win 75% of them in order to have a winning record, I think it’s too much to ask at this time.

Miss a scenario? You can see the full list of scenarios below, and be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for training camp.

The Steelers will go above and beyond their win-loss prediction in 2025

The Steelers will throw more INTs than last season

The Steelers will eclipse 50 sacks in 2025

The Steelers Defense Will Have More Takeaways This Season

Aaron Rodgers will start all 17 games in 2025

DK Metcalf Will Have Double-Digit Receiving TDs

T.J. Watt will break the single-season sack record

The Steelers Will Rush For More Than 2000 Yards In 2025

The Steelers will have a Top 5 Rush Defense

Jalen Ramsey will return to the Pro Bowl in 2025

The Steelers will have a winning record in the AFC North

The Steelers will have a kickoff return for a TD in 2025