The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a joint practice at Acrisure Stadium on Thursday before the two teams clash on Saturday in Week 2 of the preseason. Media members could not report anything during practice, but it seems like the Steelers struggled a bit on the defensive side of the ball. This isn't the end of the world as the Buccaneers have a very good offense stocked with star-power, but fans would probably like to hear about a better performance considering all of the changes that happened on that side of the football during the 2025 offseason.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
After practice ended on Thursday, reports began to surface about what went down at Acrisure Stadium. While the Steelers found great success in their seven shots drill, it seems like the Buccaneers did not struggle much to throw the football during the two-minute drill, which is a bit concerning considering the additions of Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay into the secondary. Tampa Bay's Mike Evans seemed to have himself a day, which is not much of a surprise considering his status as one of the best wide receivers in the league. However, the Steelers did reportedly let rookie Emeka Egbuka get the best of them on multiple occasions.
The Bucs WR trio of Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan and Emeka Egbuka looked dominant through much of today’s practice, and Evans remains one of the NFL’s most unstoppable weapons around the goal line.
— Scott Smith (@ScottSBucs) August 14, 2025
Tampa Bay is still missing wide receiver Chris Godwin, but that didn't seem to matter. The Buccaneers wide receivers were still able to manipulate Pittsburgh's secondary apparently and had a lot of success, which means there is a lot for the defense to learn from the joint practice. It is important to note that practice reports aren't always accurate, and there could have been instances where the pass rush would have gotten to Baker Mayfield for a sack.
David Richard / AP photo
Former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield celebrates while playing against the Steelers.
Mayfield has turned into one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL, and it sounds like he got the best of the Steelers' defense during the joint practice. This isn't exactly a game simulation, but it will be interesting to see if the defense still has issues by the time the regular season rolls around. The unit is the highest-paid defense in the NFL for the fourth season in a row, and the fan base has grown tired of the constant disappointment or drop off from the defense in recent years. Hopefully this joint practice is not a sign of what is to come in 2025, as it will be seen as the heartbeat of the Steelers, which has been the norm.
There shouldn't be a ton of shame with giving up some plays to Tampa Bay's receiving core. Evans is a future first ballot Hall of Famer, and Egbuka is one of the top rookies in the 2025 NFL Draft Class. However, the hopes are higher for the secondary than they have been in recent years.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Expects A Lot From His Defense In 2025
Head Coach Mike Tomlin is a defensive minded individual, and he has high hopes for his defense heading into the 2025 season. He has stated that he believes the defense can cover any group of receivers in the league, and he thinks the unit could be historic. This wasn't a good start, and the defensive coaching staff could be in trouble if the unit does not perform like Tomlin expects.
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Mike Tomlin roams the practice field in Latrobe, PA. during training camp in 2025.
This worry stems from a joint practice, so there is still time for things to improve. Tampa Bay also rosters a talented and well put together offense, so it is completely fair to expect the defense to perform better in Week 1 of the regular season against a team like the New York Jets.
What do you think of these reports out of the joint practice? Let us know in the comments below!
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