Pittsburgh Steelers

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Lore & Background

The rivalry began in earnest after the 1970 merger placed the NFL's Steelers and the AFL's Bengals into the same AFC Central division. The Steelers initially established dominance, winning their first meeting 21–10 at Three Rivers Stadium before the Bengals secured a 34–7 win to start a seven-game streak that secured a division title. The mid-to-late 1970s saw Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain" defense hold Cincinnati to 17 points or less in ten of twelve meetings, including two games where the Steelers won with only one touchdown (7–3 in 1976 and 7–6 in 1978). The dynamic shifted in 1980 when the Bengals snapped an 18-game home winning streak for Pittsburgh. By November 6, 1988, Cincinnati achieved a historic 42–7 blowout, the largest margin of victory in series history. This era culminated in the only time the Bengals held a lead in the overall series (21–20) after the 1990 season following six straight wins from 1988 to 1990.

In Their Own Story

The intensity peaked during the Ben Roethlisberger era, particularly in two playoff meetings. In a 2005 AFC Wild Card game in Cincinnati, Carson Palmer was injured on the first drive, yet the Bengals built a 17–7 lead before Pittsburgh scored 24 unanswered points to win 31–17, en route to their fifth Super Bowl victory. Decades later, in the 2015 AFC Wild Card game, the Steelers led 15–0 after three quarters. With Roethlisberger out due to injury and Andy Dalton benched for A.J. McCarron, Cincinnati scored 16 straight points. The game ended on a controversial sequence: Ryan Shazier forced a Jeremy Hill fumble, followed by Vontaze Burfict being flagged for unnecessary roughness on Antonio Brown's head, leading to a suspension. Chris Boswell then kicked the game-winning field goal from 35 yards. Another brutal encounter occurred in 2017; after Cincinnati took a 17–0 lead, Pittsburgh outscored them 23–3 to win 23–20. The game saw serious injuries to Shazier, Mixon, and Burfict, along with suspensions for JuJu Smith-Schuster and George Iloka (later overturned).

Reader's Guide

Fans should note that the Steelers hold a significant historical edge, leading the series 72–41 and winning both playoff meetings. The teams have played twice annually since 1970, except in 1982 when the game in Cincinnati was cancelled due to the NFL Players Strike; Pittsburgh won the only meeting of that year 26–20 in overtime. Key eras include the Steelers' four Super Bowl wins between 1974 and 1979 and the Bengals' brief dominance from 1988 to 1990, which remains the only time Cincinnati led the series. In 2009, the Bengals swept the Steelers for the first time in franchise history, including a win that marked Roethlisberger's first loss in his home state of Ohio (previously 10–0). Recent history shows volatility: after an 11-game losing streak to Pittsburgh ended in Week 15 of the 2020 season with a 27–17 Bengals victory, Cincinnati swept the Steelers in 2021 for the first time since 2009. However, the rivalry tightened quickly; as of the 2025 season, both teams have recorded six victories against each other in the 2020s.

Did You Know?

• The only season the teams did not meet twice was 1982, when the game in Cincinnati was cancelled due to the NFL Players Strike.
• On November 6, 1988, the Bengals defeated the Steelers 42–7, marking the largest margin of victory for either team in the rivalry's history.
• Between 1974 and 1977, the Steelers won six straight games against the Bengals, including two victories where they scored only a single touchdown (7–3 in 1976 and 7–6 in 1978).
• The 2005 playoff game saw Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer injured on the first drive, yet Pittsburgh still managed to score 24 unanswered points to win.
• As of the 2025 season, the rivalry is perfectly even in the 2020s decade, with both teams holding six victories.