Apr 14, 2016 3 min read

The Steelers will open in prime time at Washington, the NFL announced Thursday night when it released the regular season schedule.

The Redskins will host the Steelers in one of two Monday night games on opening weekend, Sept. 12, at 7:10 p.m. San Francisco will host the Los Angeles Rams in the other Monday night contest. That game is scheduled for a 10:20 p.m. start.

The league also wasted no time in putting together a rematch of last season’s AFC Wildcard game between the Steelers and Bengals, one that was marred by a number of personal fouls and fines levied against both teams.

The Steelers, who won that playoff matchup, 18-16, when linebacker Vontaze Burfict and cornerback Adam Jones both drew 15-yard penalties in the final minute to set up the game-winning field goal, will host the Bengals in Week 2 in a 1 p.m. nationally televised game.

Burfict was suspended by the NFL for the first three games of the season for multiple personal foul penalties, including a headshot on wide receiver Antonio Brown that kept him out of the team’s playoff loss the following week at Denver, and will not play against the Steelers in Week 2.

He should, however, be available to play in the rematch in Cincinnati in Week 15. The Bengals will host the Steelers in a Thursday night game Dec. 18.

If the league was in a giving mood by scheduling the Steelers to play the Bengals without Burfict, it also showed a little naughty side to Pittsburgh, as well.

The Steelers will play games on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years days as the both Dec. 25 and Jan 1 fall on Sunday this year.

That holiday schedule will start in Week 12 in a Thanksgiving night game Nov. 24 at Indianapolis.

Pittsburgh also will play at home Christmas Day against Baltimore in a 4:25 p.m. game broadcast nationally on the NFL Network. And Pittsburgh will host Cleveland to close out the regular season Jan. 1 at 1 p.m.

Following their opening two games at Washington and at home against Cincinnati, the remainder of the first half Pittsburgh’s schedule is at Philadelphia at 4:25 p.m. Sept. 25, a Sunday night game against Kansas City Oct. 2, at home against the Jets for a 1 p.m. start Oct. 9, and at Miami at 1 p.m. Oct. 16. Pittsburgh will close out the first portion of its season with a nationally broadcast game at home Oct. 23 against the New England Patriots at 4:25 p.m.

The Steelers’ bye week falls in Week 8 before things pick back up in Week 9 at Baltimore for a 1 p.m. game Nov. 6.

Pittsburgh will then host Dallas in Week 10 Nov. 13, before traveling to Cleveland Nov. 20.

Following the Thanksgiving game against the Colts, the Steelers come back for the final stretch of the regular season at home against the Giants (Dec. 4), at Buffalo (Dec. 11), at Cincinnati (Dec. 18) before hosting Baltimore and Cleveland to close out the season.

The Steelers also announced dates and times for all four of their 2016 preseason games on Thursday.

The Steelers will host the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 12, and the Philadelphia Eagles at 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 18.

Their final two preseason games will be on the road, first at New Orleans at 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 26, and then Carolina at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 1.

All four preseason games will be televised locally on KDKA-TV.

With the first preseason game coming Aug. 12, the Steelers can open training camp at Saint Vincent College July 28.