For one night, Aaron Rodgers showed he still has it.
After blowing a chance to clinch the AFC North in Cleveland last week, the Pittsburgh Steelers took care of business at home on Sunday night behind Rodgers’ big fourth-quarter performance. The Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens 26-24 in the 272nd and final game of the 2025 regular season, clinching a division title for the first time since 2020 and sending the rival Ravens home for the postseason for the first time since 2021.
It didn’t come easy. Pittsburgh, playing without suspended No. 1 receiver DK Metcalf for a second straight game, struggled to generate offense early. Meanwhile, the Ravens scored an opening-drive touchdown and stretched the lead to 10-0 with an early second-quarter field goal.
After failing to score from Baltimore’s 1-yard line on the final play of the first half, Pittsburgh went into the locker room trailing 10-3 as Derrick Henry surpassed 100 rushing yards through two quarters.
After halftime, the Steelers put together a pair of third-quarter scoring drives. They held a 13-10 lead with less than 10 minutes left when the teams traded a flurry of touchdowns.
On a third-and-4 from the 50-yard line with just under nine minutes left, Jackson avoided the grasp of pass rushers Alex Highsmith and Keeanu Benton, reset and floated a pass to Zay Flowers behind the secondary to give the Ravens a 17-13 lead.
Rodgers led the Steelers on a go-ahead touchdown drive as Kenneth Gainwell ran in from 2 yards out to give Pittsburgh a 20-17 lead with less than four minutes left.
Jackson answered back three plays later. On a third-and-1, the Steelers blew a coverage, leaving Flowers uncovered on the left side of the field for a 64-yard touchdown.
Rodgers got the ball back one last time, leading a 65-yard touchdown drive, finishing with a 26-yard touchdown down the left sideline to Calvin Austin III with 55 seconds left. However, Chris Boswell missed the extra point, opening the door for the Ravens to win it with a field goal.
Baltimore seemed on the verge of answering again. This time, facing a fourth-and-7 from the 50 with the game on the line, Jackson lofted a 26-yard completion to tight end Isaiah Likely. The catch set up kicker Tyler Loop for a 44-yard field goal attempt to win it, but the rookie’s kick sailed wide right as time expired.
Rodgers finished 31-for-47 for 294 yards and a touchdown pass. Jackson was 11-for-18 for 238 yards, three touchdowns and an interception on a deflected pass hauled in by T.J. Watt.
Sunday’s victory caps off an impressive late-season rally for the Steelers, who squandered an early lead with a 2-5 stretch in October and November. But they got back on track with a victory over the Ravens in Baltimore one month ago, the first in a three-game winning streak. They missed a chance to clinch the AFC North when they were upset by the Browns in Cleveland in Week 17 but bounced back on Sunday night, completing a season sweep of Baltimore.
As the AFC’s No. 4 seed, the Steelers will host the Houston Texans in a wild-card game on “Monday Night Football.”
Steelers secure playoff berth — but that’s only the first step
In Week 13, as the Steelers were getting blown out by the Buffalo Bills, fans booed their defensive anthem “Renegade” and chanted “Fire Tomlin.” By the end of that game, the Steelers were 6-6 and had lost five of seven games. It appeared their season could be unraveling.
However, the Steelers responded by winning four of their final five. Even that late-season stretch had its warts, as the Steelers blew a prime opportunity to clinch the division with an inexcusable Week 17 loss in Cleveland. That could have haunted the Steelers and led to more calls for Mike Tomlin’s job this offseason. Instead, they survived a white-knuckle fourth quarter to wear the AFC North Champions hats and T-shirts.
While it was a thrilling finish full of twists and turns, qualifying for the playoffs is really just Step 1 for this team. The success or failure of this season was always going to be judged in the playoffs.
The Steelers made an aggressive — maybe even desperate — attempt to retool their roster this offseason with a series of blockbuster moves. That included a trade for Metcalf and another for defensive back Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith. All of it was in an effort to win their first playoff game since the 2016 season.
The Steelers are an inconsistent, imperfect team. They might not even be favored at home against the Houston Texans. But in a wide-open AFC playoff field, they may have their best chance in years to finally break through. — Mike DeFabo, Steelers beat writer
This was the Ravens’ season in a nutshell
The Ravens looked great offensively on their first drive, but then they went cold and did nothing for two and a half quarters. The defense started strong, only to let down in the second half and again when it needed a stop late in the fourth quarter to hold the lead.
The Ravens never figured out a way to play complementary football all year, and their season ended short of the playoffs because of it. They really didn’t play well enough in any facet this season, and that was reflected by their effort Sunday night. — Jeff Zrebiec, Ravens beat writer
Rodgers delivers signature drive. Twice
After the Steelers beat Baltimore in Week 14, Tomlin said, “We knew what was on the line today. That’s why you go do business with a guy like Aaron — for thick days like today.”
Needing Rodgers to deliver a signature moment, he came through. Twice.
Facing elimination, Rodgers led the Steelers downfield on an eight-play, 60-yard touchdown drive. His 31-yard pass up the seam to Pat Freiermuth helped set the stage for Kenneth Gainwell’s go-ahead touchdown. But it wouldn’t be the AFC North without some chaos. A coverage bust allowed Jackson to connect on a 64-yard touchdown pass to Zay Flowers.
Again, the Steelers needed a signature Rodgers moment. Again, he answered the call, leading the Steelers on a 65-yard touchdown drive capped by a 26-yard pass to Austin. — DeFabo
Ravens’ defense never recovered from losing Kyle Hamilton
When Hamilton left the game following a collision with fellow safety Alohi Gilman early in the third quarter, the Ravens led 10-3 and the Steelers were facing a third-and-10. Rodgers immediately attacked the middle of the field and hit Freiermuth for 14 yards. They scored a touchdown on that drive and got a field goal on the next.
Hamilton has been the Ravens’ best defensive player, and his going down left Baltimore without a playmaker and a defensive leader. Rodgers took advantage, repeatedly attacking the middle of the field, particularly on third-and-long. The Ravens never could get off the field at the key moments.— Zrebiec
Loop’s first big moment sailed wide right
The Ravens’ biggest question mark entering the season was at kicker, where rookie fifth-round pick Tyler Loop was tasked with replacing Justin Tucker, one of the most accomplished kickers in NFL history. Loop was solid for much of the season, but he was never tested in a big moment. He was never asked to kick a game-winning field goal late in a game. He got his first opportunity on Sunday and had a chance to kick the Ravens into the playoffs. — Zrebiec