Steelers vs Denver Broncos match player stats tell a story that goes back to 1970, and the next chapter is less than two months away. The two teams meet again on Black Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, in Pittsburgh. Before that game, it helps to look at the numbers from past matchups. Who threw for the most yards? Who ran the ball well? Which defenders made big plays? This guide answers those questions in simple words. We start with the most recent game, then look back at the best player performances in the series.
Who won the last Steelers vs Broncos game?
The Steelers won the last meeting, 13-6, on Sept. 15, 2024, in Denver. It was a low-scoring game with short drives, many punts and a few big mistakes. Justin Fields started at quarterback for Pittsburgh because Russell Wilson was hurt. That made the day a little strange, because Wilson used to play for the Broncos, and he watched this game from the sideline in Denver.
The Steelers scored the only touchdown of the day. Fields threw a 5-yard pass to tight end Darnell Washington at the end of a 12-play drive. Kicker Chris Boswell added two field goals, one from 22 yards and one from 53 yards. Denver could only answer with two field goals from kicker Wil Lutz, from 35 yards and 29 yards.
The Steelers’ team site shared a fun fact after the game. Under head coach Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh moved to 25-6 against rookie quarterbacks. Denver played first-round rookie Bo Nix, and the Steelers‘ defense kept him under pressure all day.
What were the best player stats in the 2024 game?
Bo Nix threw for the most yards in the game, but the Steelers’ players made fewer mistakes, and that made the difference. Here are the main numbers from the box score.
Pittsburgh Steelers
| Player | Stat line |
|---|---|
| Justin Fields, QB | 13 of 20 passing, 117 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions; 8 rushes for 27 yards |
| Najee Harris, RB | 17 carries, 69 yards |
| Jaylen Warren, RB | 9 carries, 42 yards; 2 catches for 19 yards |
| Pat Freiermuth, TE | 4 catches, 39 yards |
| George Pickens, WR | 2 catches, 29 yards |
| Darnell Washington, TE | 1 catch, 5 yards, 1 touchdown |
| Chris Boswell, K | 2 of 2 field goals, longest 53 yards |
| DeShon Elliott, S | 9 tackles (4 solo) |
| T.J. Watt, LB | 1 sack |
Denver Broncos
| Player | Stat line |
|---|---|
| Bo Nix, QB | 20 of 35 passing, 246 yards, 2 interceptions |
| Josh Reynolds, WR | 93 receiving yards |
| Wil Lutz, K | 2 field goals (35 and 29 yards) |
| Alex Singleton, LB | 12 tackles (7 solo) |
| Zach Allen, DE | Broncos’ sack leader |
How did the quarterbacks play?
Fields completed 13 of 20 passes for 117 yards and one touchdown. He did not throw an interception, and his passer rating was 97.3. He was sacked two times for a loss of 7 yards, and he also ran 8 times for 27 yards. These are not big numbers, but they were enough, because the Steelers never gave the ball away.
Nix completed 20 of 35 passes for 246 yards, with two interceptions. Those two throws hurt Denver the most. In the third quarter, the Broncos had their best drive of the day. It included a 26-yard catch by Courtland Sutton and a 50-yard catch by Reynolds. They reached the Steelers’ 6-yard line, but the drive ended with no points.
How did the running backs and receivers play?
Najee Harris carried the ball 17 times for 69 yards, which is about 4.1 yards per carry. Jaylen Warren added 9 carries for 42 yards. Together, the two backs gave the Steelers a steady base, even when the passing game was quiet.
In the passing game, tight end Pat Freiermuth led Pittsburgh with 4 catches for 39 yards. George Pickens had two catches for 29 yards. For Denver, Josh Reynolds was the top receiver with 93 yards.
Who played well on defense?
Alex Singleton had 12 tackles for the Broncos, and 7 of them were solo tackles. Steelers safety DeShon Elliott had 9 tackles. T.J. Watt got a sack for Pittsburgh, and Zach Allen was the Broncos’ sack leader.
How did the team stats compare in that game?
The Broncos gained more yards, but the Steelers took care of the ball, and that is why they won. Here is a quick look.
| Stat | Steelers | Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 251 | 295 |
| First downs | 16 | 13 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Penalties | 10 for 78 yards | 9 for 124 yards |
Penalties hurt Denver a lot. Cornerback Patrick Surtain II was called for three penalties. One of them was a 37-yard pass interference call, and it set up Boswell’s 53-yard field goal late in the third quarter. That kick made the score 13-0.
The Steelers were not perfect. They converted only 4 of 13 third downs, which means they often had to punt. But the Broncos could not take advantage. Early in the fourth quarter, Denver coach Sean Payton chose a 35-yard field goal on fourth-and-6 from the Steelers’ 16-yard line. The kick made it 13-3, but Denver never got closer than a touchdown behind.
What is the all-time Steelers vs Broncos record?
The Broncos lead the all-time series, 20-14-1, counting playoff games. In the regular season, Denver leads 15-11-1. In the playoffs, the Broncos lead 5-3.
The teams first played on Sept. 27, 1970, and Denver won 16-13. Since then, both teams have had some big wins. The Broncos’ biggest win was 34-7 in 1989. The Steelers’ biggest win was 42-7 in 1979, and that is also the most points either team has scored in the series. The Broncos’ highest score is 37 points, in 1993.
This series is a little surprising. The Steelers have won six Super Bowls, and the Broncos have won three. Still, Denver has the better record head-to-head. The Broncos even won their first playoff game ever against the Steelers, in 1977, according to the Broncos’ team site.
In recent years, the Steelers have turned things around. They won the 2020 game 26-21, the 2021 game 27-19, and the 2024 game 13-6.
Which players had the biggest games in this series?
Ben Roethlisberger, Tim Tebow and Demaryius Thomas all had huge days in this matchup. Here are the games that stand out.
2006: Roethlisberger throws for 433 yards. On Nov. 5, 2006, Roethlisberger threw for 433 yards, which was a series record for many years. He also threw three interceptions and only one touchdown. On the other side, Broncos receiver Javon Walker caught passes for 134 yards.
2009: Mendenhall runs for 155 yards. On Nov. 9, 2009, Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall ran for 155 yards on 22 carries. The Steelers listed that as their best rushing day in the series in their own 2016 records.
2012: Tebow and Thomas shock the Steelers. On Jan. 8, 2012, the Broncos beat the Steelers 29-23 in overtime in the AFC wild-card round. Tim Tebow completed only 10 of 21 passes, but he threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns. Receiver Demaryius Thomas caught four passes for 204 yards and a touchdown. Roethlisberger threw for 289 yards, and Isaac Redman ran for 121 yards, but it was not enough for Pittsburgh.
2015: Brown leads a big comeback. On Dec. 20, 2015, the Steelers came back from a 17-point deficit to win 34-27. Wide receiver Antonio Brown had 189 receiving yards, which was the Steelers’ best receiving game in the series at that time.
2018: Roethlisberger throws for 462 yards and still loses. This game may have the strangest stat line. Roethlisberger completed 41 of 56 passes for 462 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. JuJu Smith-Schuster caught 13 passes for 189 yards, which matched Brown’s old mark, and he scored on a 97-yard touchdown. The Steelers gained 527 yards to Denver’s 308, but they lost 24-17. The reason was turnovers. Pittsburgh gave the ball away four times, and Denver did not turn it over once.
Denver’s players did enough with fewer chances. Quarterback Case Keenum completed 15 of 28 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Phillip Lindsay carried 14 times for 110 yards and a touchdown, and Emmanuel Sanders caught a 5-yard touchdown pass. There was one more odd moment. Kicker Chris Boswell threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Alejandro Villanueva just before halftime.
What happened in the 2020 and 2021 games?
The Steelers won both games at home, 26-21 in 2020 and 27-19 in 2021. In the 2020 game, played on Sept. 20, Denver lost quarterback Drew Lock and receiver Courtland Sutton to injuries.
The 2021 game, played on Oct. 10, was close until the end. The Steelers ran the ball 35 times and passed only 25 times, which was a rare mix for them in those years. Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes, including one to Chase Claypool that made it 24-6. Najee Harris also scored on a 1-yard dive. The Broncos then rallied behind Teddy Bridgewater, who threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. But his last pass, a fourth-down throw into the end zone with 11 seconds left, was intercepted by Steelers cornerback James Pierre. That ended the game and stopped a three-game losing streak for Pittsburgh.
When do the Steelers and Broncos play next?
The next game is on Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, in Week 12 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. ET, and the game is listed on Amazon Prime Video. Check the NFL schedule closer to the date in case anything changes.
Both teams come in with strong records from last season. The Broncos won 14 games and took the top seed in the AFC. The Steelers are the reigning AFC North champions. Because this is a Black Friday game, many fans will be watching.
No player stats exist yet for this game, so anything you see before kickoff is a prediction. After the final whistle, the box score will be posted on the sites listed below.
Which stats matter most when you read a box score?
Start with passing yards, rushing yards, turnovers, sacks and third-down plays, because these tell you most of the story. Here is what each one means in simple words.
- Passing yards: How far the quarterback moved the ball through the air. Look at touchdowns and interceptions too.
- Rushing yards and yards per carry: How well the running backs gained ground. A number above 4.0 per carry is usually good.
- Turnovers: Interceptions and fumbles that give the ball to the other team. The 2018 game shows how much they matter.
- Sacks: Plays where the quarterback is tackled before he can throw. Sacks stop drives.
- Third-down plays: The team needs a first down on third down or it must punt or kick. A low number, like 4 of 13, means many drives ended early.
- Penalties: Yards lost from mistakes. Denver’s 124 penalty yards in 2024 were a big reason it lost.
Numbers can look slightly different from one site to another. Some pages show net passing yards, which means the yards lost on sacks are subtracted. Other pages show the full passing total. Always check which one you are reading.
Where can you find Steelers vs Broncos player stats?
ESPN, Yahoo Sports and Covers all post full box scores with passing, rushing, receiving and defense tables for each game. The official team sites, Steelers.com and DenverBroncos.com, share recaps and series history. FootballDB lets you see every Steelers and Broncos meeting in one list, with the top players from each game. Using two sites together is a good habit, because it helps you catch small differences.
The Bottom Line
The Steelers vs Broncos series is full of strange games and big player stats, from Tebow’s 316 yards in 2012 to Roethlisberger’s 462 yards in a loss in 2018. The most recent game, a 13-6 Steelers win in 2024, came down to turnovers and penalties more than big plays. With the next meeting set for Nov. 27, 2026, the key numbers to watch are quarterback play, turnovers and sacks. Come back after the game to compare the new stats with these older ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who had the best player stats in the last Steelers vs Broncos game?
Bo Nix threw for the most yards in the last game, with 246, but he also threw two interceptions. Justin Fields passed for 117 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers. Najee Harris led all rushers with 69 yards on 17 carries. Alex Singleton had the most tackles in the game, with 12.
Who leads the all-time series between the Steelers and Broncos?
The Broncos lead the all-time series 20-14-1, counting playoff games. In the regular season, Denver leads 15-11-1, and in the playoffs the Broncos lead 5-3. Even so, the Steelers have won the three most recent meetings, in 2020, 2021 and 2024, and they will try to make it four on Nov. 27, 2026.
When is the next Steelers vs Broncos game?
The teams play on Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, in Week 12 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. ET, and the game is listed on Amazon Prime Video. Player stats for the game will appear on sites like ESPN and Yahoo Sports soon after the final whistle.
