The Wild Card round of this season is set to wrap up when the Steelers host the Houston Texans, but could there be a surprise in store at Acrisure Stadium? The Steelers earned home-field advantage by winning the AFC North, and now, snow could be a part of the road challenge in store for Houston. The NFL postseason has already delivered drama, but this Wild Card finale could add something else to the mix: unexpected weather.

Currently, The Weather Channel is reporting that the temperatures in Pittsburgh will drop to around 28 degrees on Monday, with scattered snow showers earlier in the day. But there is some good news for fans and players. While it will be freezing at kickoff (8:15 p.m. local time), the current forecast shows very low chances of precipitation Monday night. That means no snow and no heavy rain, and fewer interruptions during the Texans vs. Steelers matchup. 

That said, snow will already be part of the story in Pittsburgh. When Texans faithful arrived in Pittsburgh on Sunday, they walked straight into a few flurries of snow. While Acrisure Stadium also uses a heated grass field, like several other outdoor NFL stadiums, that does not mean the snow just disappears. The system mainly keeps the ground from freezing and the grass alive in the Stadium. In other words, the field should be playable, but it will still feel like hostile conditions for Houston. 

Playing in a cold-weather city like Pittsburgh is rarely comfortable for a team like the Texans, who are used to the comfort of playing under a retractable roof. The cold can affect the grip, timing, and confidence of Houston’s players. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, in particular, has not enjoyed such cold conditions in his career. He is 0-3 as a starter in cold-weather games, including two playoff losses to the Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs last season. 

The Steelers, on the other hand, are used to playing in frigid weather. This season, Pittsburgh played against the Miami Dolphins at 17 degrees in a Week 15 night game. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers recorded 224 yards and two touchdowns to lead his team to a 28–15 win in that game. Rodgers has spent his career in cold weather with teams like the New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, and now the Steelers. That experience might also be one reason that Rodgers likes his team’s chances in this postseason.

Aaron Rodgers believes that the Steelers can move past the Texans in the postseason

The Steelers will enter the Wild Card game riding high on a 26–24 win over the Ravens. Meanwhile, the Texans will enter the matchup riding a nine-game winning streak after beating the Indianapolis Colts 38–30. But Pittsburgh has not won a playoff game since 2017, and it would seem like Mike Tomlin’s job is on the line. Despite this pressure, Aaron Rodgers recently fired back at doubters by placing his confidence in the Steelers’ playoff chances.

“It’s the hottest team,” Aaron Rodgers said in a presser on January 8. “We’ve won four out of five. We’re playing a lot better football than we were earlier in the season. I like our chances.”

The Steelers are the only AFC team to make the playoffs without a top-10 finish in major categories. The team’s offense and defense both finished outside the top-10 overall this season. But as Rodgers pointed out, the Steelers have momentum. The return of wideout DK Metcalf, following his suspension, should also give the Steelers’ offense a real boost in the postseason. Meanwhile, Houston has built its run on a defense that finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in defense, allowing just 17.4 points per game. 

In the end, time will tell whether Aaron Rodgers’ belief and cold-weather pedigree are enough to push Pittsburgh to a victory and end a near-decade playoff drought. All eyes now turn to Monday night’s showdown at 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff on January 12, 2026, where one more win could rewrite Steelers lore.

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