Steelers' Scheme Puts TJ Watt On Legitimate Track For A Historic Season

As the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp rolls into full gear, there’s a new energy buzzing around the defense. Changes are being made to the very structure of how this unit operates. At the center of those changes is one familiar face and perhaps the most feared defender in football: TJ Watt.

An appearance by Mark Kaboly on 93.7 The Fan with Austin Bechtold on Sunday set the stage. Kaboly laid out how the Steelers are crafting a scheme perfectly suited for Watt to challenge his single-season sack record.

“I have high expectations for Watt," Kaboly said. "I said he’s a 20‑sack guy; he might flirt with his own record here coming up... It’s all set up, barring injury, for TJ Watt to have a monster season. It’s set up that they want to play man defense as much as possible. Press man, three guys, and that prevents the easy dump‑off passes, let the quarterback hold onto the ball a little bit more... We’ve seen some twists to the defensive schemes so far of flipping them around.”

Kaboly isn’t just hyping up a star. He’s outlining how the Steelers have quietly retooled their defensive identity to amplify Watt’s production in 2025. The difference this year isn’t just the health or hunger for Watt;  it’s the context around him. Though Kaboly’s deeper point is about the structure, when he says it’s “all set up” for Watt to explode, he’s referring to coverage philosophy, pass-rush alignment, and personnel decisions that are shifting the math in Watt’s favor.

Take his mention of “press man” coverage. That alone is a seismic shift. The Steelers have typically relied on soft zone looks or off-man principles, which allows quick completions and quarterbacks to neutralize the pass rush by getting the ball out quickly. Now, however, according to Kaboly, they’re pushing to jam receivers at the line, disrupt timing, and remove those short, rhythm throws.

In years past, Watt was asked to generate game-changing plays within a system that didn’t always make it easy. Dump-offs, slants, and hitches came out before he could bend the edge. Press coverage eliminates those crutches, and quarterbacks are forced to hold onto the ball, go through full reads, or even bail on the pocket entirely.

Watt traditionally rushes off the left side, and offenses plan entire protection schemes to chip or double him. “Flipping them around” hints at more than just a side-switch with Alex Highsmith. It suggests that Teryl Austin is working to create motion, disguise, and matchup manipulation, putting Watt wherever he can’t be predicted.

It’s not just about sacks. It’s about how this new philosophy affects everything. With quarterbacks being asked to hold the ball longer, the interior defensive line gets more involved. It gives blitz packages more time to land. It lets the secondary bait mistakes. It multiplies turnover opportunities, and that’s something the Steelers have leaned on during playoff pushes.

Also, make no mistake: this is a playoff-caliber defense if it hits its ceiling. The pieces are there, Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey, for example, but the tone-setter remains Watt. He’s the one who tilts the field.

Steelers’ Calculated Defensive Changes Could Define the Season

This version of the Steelers defense feels more intentional than reactive. That’s the real takeaway from Kaboly’s assessment. It’s not just that Watt is healthy, or that he’s highly motivated; both are true. It’s that for the first time in a while, the scheme is setting the table for him. If the Steelers stay healthy and if these schematic changes stick, we might be watching Watt step into a season that not only redefines his ceiling but redefines what this defense is capable of.

Do you think the Steelers’ new defensive approach will help TJ Watt break his sack record, or is that asking too much in today’s NFL? Let us know in the comments!

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