Aaron Rodgers threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns, rallying the Pittsburgh Steelers from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to a 26-19 overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 18, 2026, securing the franchise’s first road win of the season.
The comeback at Raymond James Stadium lifted the Steelers to a 4-2 record, pulling them into a three-way tie atop the AFC North. For three quarters, however, the visiting offense looked starkly different from the squad that finished the job. Rodgers absorbed five sacks and struggled to sustain momentum against a Tampa Bay defense coming off an 0-4 start, while Pittsburgh trailed 16-3 heading into the final period.
Aaron Rodgers and the Fourth-Quarter Offense Spark Pittsburgh
The offensive awakening began when Rodgers connected with Darnell Washington on a 5-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter. Reaching a total of 539 touchdown passes through his pair of scoring throws, Rodgers matched Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning for third place on the NFL’s all-time list, standing behind only Tom Brady’s 649 and Drew Brees’s 571.
Germie Bernard, Jamel Dean and DK Metcalf on our win over the Buccaneers. @Ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/C4osS8EFGI
Wide receiver DK Metcalf became a central figure in the rally, pulling in 11 catches for 93 yards after managing just 12 yards prior to the fourth quarter. Rookie Germie Bernard also redeemed an early mistake by catching 11 passes for 87 yards and hauling in the game-winning touchdown pass with 3:15 remaining in overtime.
Once we got DK involved, the offense shifted.
Aaron Rodgers, via Associated Press
Pittsburgh had been forced to fast-track rookie Germie Bernard and lean on its trio of tight ends—Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, and Robert Tonyan—due to injuries at the wide receiver position. Michael Pittman Jr. missed the contest as he sat two weeks into a stint on injured reserve with a foot injury, while Roman Wilson remained sidelined one week into his stint on injured reserve due to a finger and hand injury.
Nick Herbig speaks to the media following our win over the Buccaneers. @Acrisure pic.twitter.com/jxhGG3sXoN
Head coach Mike McCarthy watched part of the game unfold while dealing with an ankle issue of his own. McCarthy spent the entire halftime in the injury tent being evaluated for a sore ankle after being accidentally stepped on along the Pittsburgh sideline, limping across the field before returning to the bench area.
Jalen Ramsey and Jamel Dean Anchor Defensive Takeaways
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s unit faced a heavy workload as Tampa Bay rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels threw the ball 43 times. The defense limited the hosts after halftime, holding the Buccaneers to just two field goals in the final two quarters.
Jalen Ramsey delivered a dominant performance with 10 tackles, nine solo stops, four tackles for loss, and two sacks—including a crunch-time takedown of Jalon Daniels on fourth-and-8 in overtime to seal the win. Since sacks became an official statistic in 1982, Ramsey and Watt are the only two players in franchise history to post at least 10 tackles, four tackles for loss, and two sacks in a single game.
Meanwhile, former Buccaneer Jamel Dean recorded an interception and returned it 40 yards to the Tampa Bay 3-yard line late in regulation, setting up a short Chris Boswell field goal that gave Pittsburgh a brief 19-16 lead. Dean finished the game having set a single-game franchise record with six passes defensed, making a crucial return to the lineup after missing a game with an ankle injury. Rookie cornerback Daylen Everette also contributed to the secondary with a momentum-swinging second-half interception.
It was just part of a call, just some flavor I like to put on my game. We were aligned with what calls we were going to be going with in crunch time, and we tried to mix it up here and there, but PG called a great call. He trusted me and I was able to make a play.
Jalen Ramsey, via DK Pittsburgh Sports
Chase McLaughlin Kicks Four Field Goals as Tampa Bay Forces Overtime
Tampa Bay rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels completed 22 of 43 passes for 164 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions while steering an offense that held a 16-3 advantage into the fourth quarter. Emeka Egbuka paced the Buccaneers with seven receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown on a square-out route, while Chase McLaughlin connected on four field goals to keep Tampa Bay ahead for the majority of the afternoon.
Though a pair of fourth-quarter turnovers by Daniels helped fuel Pittsburgh’s comeback, the young quarterback engineered a late drive to set up a field goal in regulation. After Boswell drilled a 58-yard field goal to tie the game at 16-16, Tampa Bay responded before sending the contest into an extra frame, though the hosts ultimately fell to a 1-5 record.
4️⃣ sacks on the season for David Walker 👏📺: #PITvsTB on CBS pic.twitter.com/GC9vGuoxQx
We’ve got to be able to finish games.
Todd Bowles, via LancasterOnline
Travel to Paris and Upcoming Division Schedule
The victory marks consecutive wins for the first time this season as the team improved its all-time record against Tampa Bay to 11 wins in 13 meetings.
The Steelers will now travel across the Atlantic to face the New Orleans Saints in Paris for the first NFL regular-season game played in France.
