Browns Face Tough Scheduling Challenge Against Steelers in Week 6

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns are in for a challenging matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday after a grueling international game in London. This unique scheduling quirk has only happened once before in NFL history.

When the NFL released its 2025 schedule in May, the Browns likely wished for a different outcome as they face a Steelers team that had a bye week prior to their encounter. This situation is particularly tough, as teams coming off a bye have a significant advantage, a fact backed by previous matchups.

According to NFL records, the last instance where a team played in Europe and immediately faced a team coming off a bye was in 2021 when the Miami Dolphins fell to the Atlanta Falcons after their London game. That matchup ended in a narrow loss for Miami, which served as a warning for Cleveland fans.

Over the years, the league has evolved its scheduling rules. Until 2016, every team going abroad received a bye in the following week. Since then, teams can choose to forgo it, as the Steelers opted to do after their recent game in Ireland.

The stats don’t favor the Browns: they are only the second team faced with this challenge, and history shows that teams in this situation have not won. The three earlier cases saw teams struggle significantly, often getting outscored by their opponents. In addition, the Browns are starting a rookie quarterback, further complicating their task.

Mike Tomlin, the Steelers’ head coach, boasts a remarkable winning record after byes. Since he took over in 2007, the Steelers have a record of 14-4 after their bye weeks. Tomlin has also proven to excel against rookie quarterbacks, compiling a 26-6 record, which is among the best in NFL history.

The stakes are high for the Browns in this unpredictable matchup, and a poor performance could prompt NFL officials to reconsider similar scheduling in the future.