The Steelers game is starting so early because it is being played in Dublin, Ireland, as part of the NFL's International Series. The kickoff time in Ireland is 2:30 p.m. local time, which translates to 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time and 8:30 a.m. Central Time in the U.S. to accommodate the time zone difference. This early start allows local fans in Ireland to watch the game at a reasonable afternoon time while also enabling fans in the U.S. to watch live in the morning. This marks the first NFL regular-season game hosted in Ireland, making the early kickoff necessary for the global scheduling of the event.