Here's How the Steelers Benefit From the Approved NFL Playoff Expansion

NFL fans have long heard rumors of the league expanding its playoff format from 12 teams to 14, but now, it's official. Starting next season, each conference will have an extra Wild Card spot up for grabs, marking the league's first postseason expansion since 1990.

If you were thoroughly entertained by the end-of-the-season Wild Card race for each conference's No. 5 and 6 seeds, just wait for what 2020 has in store. A host of teams will greatly benefit from this change and remain in postseason contention later in the season, inlcuding the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers are one of the league's most successful and storied franchises, but their recent history of consistently making the playoffs also cannot be ignored. Dating back to 2004, Pittsburgh has missed the postseason just five times, and they were 8-8 or better each one of those times they were on the outside looking in.

With Lamar Jackson and the Ravens very much in control of the AFC North for the foreseable future, the Steelers' best bet at making the playoffs anytime soon would be as a Wild Card team. Thanks to this playoff expansion, that's much more realistic for them. For the sake of their long-term future, not being forced to go for broke simply to knock off the Ravens in the division will pay dividends.

The Steelers haven't made the postseason the last two years, but they're destined to return in 2020. With one of the NFL's more complete defenses and a healthy Ben Roethlisberger back under center, things are looking up for Mike Tomlin's team, and postseason expansion couldn't have arrived at a better time for them.