The Patriots go into their Week 3 matchup against the Steelers with a tall task ahead of them and a lot of pressure on their shoulders. The longtime foe doesn't look as familiar this season, as they now have Aaron Rodgers under center and added major firepower to their receiving corps by pulling off a blockbuster trade for D.K. Metcalf.
One thing that remains consistent is head coach Mike Tomlin, who has given the Patriots a run for their money over the last several years. The hope is that it won't continue on Sunday, despite Mike Vrabel having a losing record against Tomlin in his head coaching career.
Coming off an impressive win against the Dolphins last week, the Patriots have a chance to get their first home win of the season. Unfortunately, that will have to come against some former captains lined up on the other side of the field, like safety Jabrill Peppers, who might be seeking a revenge game against the team that abruptly cut him earlier this month.
They won't, however, face another longtime Patriot in Ja'Whaun Bentley, as he was not elevated from the practice squad ahead of today's game.
The Patriots won't have to deal with another former defender on the Steelers' game day roster in Week 3
After suffering a season-ending injury early in the 2024 season, Bentley was presumed to return to the Patriots this season, only to be released and not signed by another team until last week, when he signed with the Steelers' practice squad.
Ja'Whuan Bentley wasn't elevated from the Steelers' P-squad for this game, but he is in the building, per Mike. https://t.co/7HdsMDLgxn
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) September 21, 2025
Considering the kind of consistent player he had been for the Patriots, it was shocking to see him sidelined from a lack of league-wide interest until the season had already begun, making it even worse that he signed with a team the Patriots were set to face right after.
Perhaps that's why Pittsburgh brought him in; it seems clear that it may have been more for intelligence gathering than anything else. But that won't necessarily help them much, since Bentley was not part of the roster for long under the new regime led by Mike Vrabel.
It seems more concerning to see Peppers lined up in the defense's secondary, as he's been one of the most reliable safeties in the league over the past two years. That's a big reason why his release looked questionable at best.
It will be interesting to see how the Patriots' offense fares against a familiar face on the opposite side of the field. Still, they will have the fortune of several defensive starters suffering injuries that have them sidelined for today's contest.