Steelers Coach Takes Massive Shot At His Own Players: "That's F**king Bad"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have put together a pair of pathetic defensive performances to begin the 2025 season. Thankfully, the team is 1-1 rather than 0-2, but it is hard to find much optimism for the rest of the season. The defense has sky-high expectations coming into the year, and the group has severely underperformed through two games. It is hard to pinpoint the issue with the defense, but that side of the ball has struggled to get to the quarterback, coverage has broken down, and it has been ran all over in both games so far in 2025.

Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin spoke to the media on Thursday, and he was specifically asked about the struggles with his group, including Pittsburgh being beaten for a touchdown on a Yankee concept. That's a two-man concept that features a deep post with a deep crosser, and the route concept can really pick apart three-high looks. Garrett Wilson was able to score on this in Week 1, while Tory Horton found the end zone in Week 2. Austin had some harsh words for his secondary regarding that play. 

Austin made sure to note that the play and route concept was addressed during the week leading up to the game against Seattle, this is especially true because the defense was scored on on the exact same concept in Week 1. Getting drilled by the same concept for a big play two weeks in a row is concerning, but Austin believes the team made the proper adjustments.

The play above is not exactly what Pittsburgh faced, but it is a version of that. In this instance with a three-high look, meaning a deep safety and two cornerbacks in man-to-man coverage, Pittsburgh's secondary wanted to switch assignments as the receivers crossed one another's face. This is a way to defeat being out-leveraged. Darius Slay was the right outside cornerback on the play against the Seahawks, and he was supposed to stay home to pickup Horton while he was crossing the field. 

Slay would have passed his initial man-to-man assignment, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, off to the safety on the play. Slay instead followed Smith-Njigba across the field, which left Jalen Ramsey on an island against Horton without any leverage. All Seattle needed to take advantage was a well-placed ball. 

Steelers Made Proper Adjustments To Defend Yankee Concept

Austin stated that the Steelers worked on defending this concept throughout the week, and that was clearly true based off of how the players all reacted after the play. Safety Juan Thornhill was visibly upset, as was Ramsey. It was clear Slay and the rest of the secondary knew this was his responsibility on the play, but it was just a case of assignments being messed up and poor communication. It also doesn't help that the three defenders in the secondary were all new additions to Pittsburgh in 2025, which makes communication that much harder, especially at home.

The Steelers should be looking out for this concept in Week 3 against the New England Patriots, the opposing offense will certainly be looking to exploit this clear weakness that Pittsburgh has had through two weeks. The Steelers better be able to defend it going into Week 3, or the fan base may erupt.

What do you think about Austin's reaction to the play? Let us know in the comments below!

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