The Steelers will be home for at the holidays this season and for that defensive tackle and defensive captain Cam Heyward is truly thankful.
"I like that we have a Thanksgiving home game," Heyward acknowledged recently. "That should be fun."
That the schedule commences on the road again is by now an all-too-familiar refrain, perhaps to everyone except Willie Nelson.
"One thing I don't like, we haven't had a season opener at home in a while," Heyward continued. "I know they say this is made by a computer and everything but you would think your chances are a little bit better of having a home game with a computer after six years."
The Steelers haven't opened at home since they defeated Cleveland, 30-27, to begin the 2014 season. Since then they've been at New England (2015), at Washington (2016), at Cleveland (2017), at Cleveland (2018) and at New England (2019) to kick things off.
They haven't played on Thanksgiving since they beat the Colts, 28-7, in 2016 in Indianapolis.
The Steelers' history on turkey day prior to that isn't the type of stuff that inspires the staging of a parade.
There was a 22-20 loss in 2013 at Baltimore.
There was a 19-16 overtime loss in 1998 at Detroit that's memorable for a coin flip controversy prior to the start of the extra session.
There was a 20-10 loss in 1991 at Dallas.
And there was a 45-3 loss at Detroit in 1983.
The Steelers' only other victory on Thanksgiving occurred over the Cardinals in 1950, the Chicago Cardinals (28-17 in Chicago).
The franchise's first two appearances on Thanksgiving resulted in losses in Philadelphia (17-14 as the Pirates in 1939 and 7-0 as the Steelers in 1940).
The Steelers will host a Thanksgiving game for the first time in franchise history when Baltimore keeps a scheduled date on Nov. 26 at Heinz Field.
Take a look at photos from our last meeting with each of our 2020 opponents
Steelers 2020 Season Schedule
Hall of Fame game - Steelers vs. Cowboys (Last preseason game played at PIT in 2003)
Hall of Fame game - Steelers vs. Cowboys (Last preseason game played at PIT in 2003)
Hall of Fame game - Steelers vs. Cowboys (Last preseason game played at PIT in 2003)
Preseason Week 1 - Steelers vs. Buccaneers (Last preseason game played at PIT in 2019)
Preseason Week 1 - Steelers vs. Buccaneers (Last preseason game played at PIT in 2019)
Preseason Week 1 - Steelers vs. Buccaneers (Last preseason game played at PIT in 2019)
Preseason Week 2 - Steelers vs. Saints (Last preseason game played in NO in 2016)
Preseason Week 2 - Steelers vs. Saints (Last preseason game played in NO in 2016)
Preseason Week 2 - Steelers vs. Saints (Last preseason game played in NO in 2016)
Preseason Week 3 - Steelers at Jets (Last preseason game played in PIT in 2002)
Preseason Week 3 - Steelers at Jets (Last preseason game played in PIT in 2002)
Preseason Week 3 - Steelers at Jets (Last preseason game played in PIT in 2002)
Preseason Week 4 - Steelers at Panthers (Last preseason game played in CAR in 2019)
Preseason Week 4 - Steelers at Panthers (Last preseason game played in CAR in 2019)
Preseason Week 4 - Steelers at Panthers (Last preseason game played in CAR in 2019)
Regular Season Week 1 - Steelers at Giants (Last game played at NYG in 2012)
Regular Season Week 1 - Steelers at Giants (Last game played at NYG in 2012)
Regular Season Week 1 - Steelers at Giants (Last game played at NYG in 2012)
Regular Season Week 2 - Steelers vs. Broncos (Last game played at PIT in 2015)
Regular Season Week 2 - Steelers vs. Broncos (Last game played at PIT in 2015)
Regular Season Week 2 - Steelers vs. Broncos (Last game played at PIT in 2015)
Regular Season Week 3 - Steelers vs. Texans (Last game played at PIT in 2014)
Regular Season Week 3 - Steelers vs. Texans (Last game played at PIT in 2014)
Regular Season Week 3 - Steelers vs. Texans (Last game played at PIT in 2014)
Regular Season Week 4 - Steelers at Titans (Last played in TEN in 2014)
Regular Season Week 4 - Steelers at Titans (Last played in TEN in 2014)
Regular Season Week 4 - Steelers at Titans (Last played in TEN in 2014)
Regular Season Week 5 - Steelers vs. Eagles (Last game played at PIT in 2012)
Regular Season Week 5 - Steelers vs. Eagles (Last game played at PIT in 2012)
Regular Season Week 5 - Steelers vs. Eagles (Last game played at PIT in 2012)
Regular Season Week 6 - Steelers vs. Browns (Last game played at PIT in 2019)
Regular Season Week 6 - Steelers vs. Browns (Last game played at PIT in 2019)
Regular Season Week 6 - Steelers vs. Browns (Last game played at PIT in 2019)
Regular Season Week 7 - Steelers at Ravens (Last game played at BAL in 2019)
Regular Season Week 7 - Steelers at Ravens (Last game played at BAL in 2019)
Regular Season Week 7 - Steelers at Ravens (Last game played at BAL in 2019)
Regular Season Week 9 - Steelers at Cowboys (Last game played at DAL in 2012)
Regular Season Week 9 - Steelers at Cowboys (Last game played at DAL in 2012)
Regular Season Week 9 - Steelers at Cowboys (Last game played at DAL in 2012)
Regular Season Week 10 - Steelers vs. Bengals (Last game played at PIT in 2019)
Regular Season Week 10 - Steelers vs. Bengals (Last game played at PIT in 2019)
Regular Season Week 10 - Steelers vs. Bengals (Last game played at PIT in 2019)
Regular Season Week 11 - Steelers at Jaguars (Last game played at JAX in 2018)
Regular Season Week 11 - Steelers at Jaguars (Last game played at JAX in 2018)
Regular Season Week 11 - Steelers at Jaguars (Last game played at JAX in 2018)
Regular Season Week 12 - Steelers vs. Ravens (Last game played at PIT in 2019)
Regular Season Week 12 - Steelers vs. Ravens (Last game played at PIT in 2019)
Regular Season Week 12 - Steelers vs. Ravens (Last game played at PIT in 2019)
Regular Season Week 13 - Steelers vs. Redskins (Last game played at PIT in 2012)
Regular Season Week 13 - Steelers vs. Redskins (Last game played at PIT in 2012)
Regular Season Week 13 - Steelers vs. Redskins (Last game played at PIT in 2012)
Regular Season Week 14 - Steelers at Bills (Last game played at BUF in 2016)
Regular Season Week 14 - Steelers at Bills (Last game played at BUF in 2016)
Regular Season Week 14 - Steelers at Bills (Last game played at BUF in 2016)
Regular Season Week 15 - Steelers at Bengals (Last game played at CIN in 2019)
Regular Season Week 15 - Steelers at Bengals (Last game played at CIN in 2019)
Regular Season Week 15 - Steelers at Bengals (Last game played at CIN in 2019)
Regular Season Week 16 - Steelers vs. Colts (Last game played at PIT in 2019)
Regular Season Week 16 - Steelers vs. Colts (Last game played at PIT in 2019)
Regular Season Week 16 - Steelers vs. Colts (Last game played at PIT in 2019)
Regular Season Week 17 - Steelers at Browns (Last game played at CLE in 2019)
Regular Season Week 17 - Steelers at Browns (Last game played at CLE in 2019)
Regular Season Week 17 - Steelers at Browns (Last game played at CLE in 2019)
The 2020 season's rematch with the Ravens also falls into the primetime category (kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m.), which is a more appealing prospect for the home team.
The Steelers' 28 home wins in primetime games since 2001 trail only the Patriots' 29.
The Steelers are 41-21 overall in regular season primetime games under head coach Mike Tomlin.
The Sept. 14 regular-season opener at the New York Football Giants is the Monday Night Football debut broadcast of the 2020 campaign.
Tomlin is 15-2 on Monday Night Football, including 8-2 on the road.
The Steelers are also scheduled to make a Monday Night Football appearance on Dec. 21 at Cincinnati.
In addition to the four scheduled primetime exposures and a 4:25 p.m. kickoff on Nov. 8 at Dallas, there are 11 games scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on a Sunday.
"For the fans, I think the 1 p.m. games work out great," Heyward said. "For me personally, l love playing in primetime games."
