Former NFL GM doesn’t hold back on criticizing Steelers’ disappointing defense.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were knocked out in the Wild Card round, suffering a 28-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. This defeat marks their fifth playoff loss in the past eight years, and the calls for head coach Mike Tomlin to be replaced are growing louder.
Although Tomlin seems firmly established in the organization, he’s facing multiple challenges this offseason. While the quarterback situation and the drama surrounding George Pickens are key concerns, an unexpected problem has arisen with Pittsburgh’s defense.
After a relatively solid regular season, former Buffalo Bills GM Doug Whaley has criticized the Steelers’ defense, stating it’s not strong enough to compete with the league’s top offenses.
“I’ve been saying the backend isn’t good enough… especially when the front line can’t get to the quarterback. As much as we like Beanie Bishop, [Cam] Sutton, and the others, they just aren’t good enough. No offense to them, but they’re more suited for backup special teams roles. When you look at the teams left in the playoffs, they don’t measure up to that level of offensive firepower,” Whaley said via Steeler Nation.
Whaley continued, “To me, it’s the secondary, and they need someone to step up on the interior defensive line. Everyone had their hopes for [Keeanu] Benton, but I just didn’t see the growth. We thought he could be the heir to [Cameron] Heyward, but that hasn’t happened.”
Despite a respectable regular season performance, the Steelers’ defense faltered toward the end of the year. They finished the regular season ranked 12th in total defense and 8th in scoring defense, allowing just 20.4 points per game. However, they entered the playoffs on a four-game losing streak, during which they gave up more than 27 points per game. In the postseason, they allowed the Ravens to score 28 points, sealing their early exit.
Though the defense performed decently overall, it didn’t live up to the high expectations set by its hefty payroll. According to The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo, the Steelers fielded the most expensive defense in the NFL this season, with a $137.2 million price tag.
The Steelers have had the league’s highest-paid defense since 2022, and that trend is set to continue next season, with projections of a $168.4 million payout—$34 million more than the second-highest defensive spend. Additionally, the defensive line, a historically strong area for Pittsburgh, is aging and currently ranks as the third-oldest in the league.
Complicating matters further, T.J. Watt is entering the final year of his contract. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is set to become a free agent after the 2025 season unless the Steelers can reach an extension agreement with the veteran linebacker.
