The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense has failed to live up to the expectations many set on it heading into the 2025 season. Not everyone was convinced, but many within the national media thought this Steelers defense would be tremendous. Head Coach Mike Tomlin certainly felt that way. Through two games against the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks, the unit has looked bad. They can’t stop the run and they have been getting beaten in the secondary.
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Steelers' star edge rusher TJ Watt and Head Coach Mike Tomlin communicate with one another on the sideline during a professional football game on the road.
Thornhill made some comments about how the defense is still working on nonverbal communication because the crowd at home was loud against the Seahawks. A Steelers reporter took the quote and claimed he took a shot at Steeler Nation. Thornhill responded to the story, hopeful to clear the air with Steelers fans.
"Woah never blamed it on the loud home crowd... I said we had to work on 'nonverbal communication' because we have such a loud stadium. I love our fans and the juice they bring," Thornhill said.
Thornhill clarified that his words were never intended as criticism toward the fans. Instead, he explained that the defense is still ironing out communication issues and that noise inside the stadium naturally makes those challenges greater.
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Steelers safety Juan Thornhill (22) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
He pointed out that the energy from the crowd is something the players appreciate, but it does mean they need to rely more on signals and silent communication to stay aligned. His remarks were meant to explain what the defense is working through, not to blame fans for the struggles on the field. This was the quote that Thornhill wanted to clear up.
"When you play at Acrisure, you can’t hear anything," Thornhill said. "The fans are crazy loud. We have to get to the point where there is more nonverbal communication. We have to make sure we’re on the same page so we’re not making the same mistakes over and over again. Payton [Wilson] looking back was me making sure he knew what I said because if you’re speaking or trying to yell, you can’t hear anything. When he looked back, he saw what I was trying to signal. We have to get to the point where we don’t have to verbally communicate and start signaling a little more. Once we do that, get the call quick, we have a lot of guys who can play a lot better."
By addressing the situation directly, Thornhill made sure to show his respect for Steeler Nation while also being honest about the defense’s shortcomings.
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The early part of the season has been disappointing, and the defense must quickly find answers if they want to live up to the hype. Clearing up the misunderstanding with fans was important, but the bigger task ahead is fixing the problems on the field and proving they can be the unit everyone thought they would be.
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Steelers outside linebacker TJ Watt (90) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
All eyes are on this Steelers defense as they haven’t lived up to the job many thought they would. The Steelers defense is highly paid, and that is one of the main reasons fans hold them to such a high standard.
They are not expecting just an average performance from this unit. They are expecting them to change the complexion of games. While the defense did force two turnovers against the Seahawks, they must do a better job of stopping the run. Cleaning up nonverbal communication issues will help in that area and also improve the secondary.
What are you expecting to see out of this Steelers' defense in Week 3 against the New England Patriots? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me.
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