The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense had many pundits believing they would be one of the most elite units in the league heading into the 2025 NFL season. Through the first three weeks, that has not been the case. Even Head Coach Mike Tomlin was raving about this group, calling it a defense with the potential to be historic at the start of the season. However, after the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, and even the young New England Patriots offense moved the ball with relative ease, concerns are beginning to rise quickly.
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Steelers' Head Coach Mike Tomlin observes practice during 2025 training camp while star pass rusher TJ Watt runs drills.
To their credit, the Steelers have shown flashes of the dominance many expected. They forced five turnovers on Sunday, a reminder of how disruptive and opportunistic this unit can be. Still, critics argue that relying on turnovers alone is not a sustainable formula for success. The 21-14 win over New England was far from convincing, but it was a much-needed step forward for a defense that had been reeling. That performance allowed Pittsburgh to escape with a 2-1 record, keeping them in the mix early in the season.
On Monday, inside linebacker Payton Wilson offered his perspective while speaking to the Pittsburgh media. The second-year inside linebacker acknowledged some of the struggles, but made headlines when he called the defensive scheme "really cool," a statement that caught plenty of attention.
"Yeah, I mean it’s cool because the talent we have in here is surreal," Wilson told the Pittsburgh media on Monday. "Everybody knows that. Not only that, but those guys are bringing stuff from other places. You know your twists, your games up front, your blitzes. Just how creative defensive coordinators all over the league [are]. Some guys have been able to bring stuff in. It’s been really cool."
His comments reflected both his enthusiasm for the system and his belief that the unit’s best days are still ahead. For a defense that entered the season with sky-high expectations, those words were as much about optimism as they were about reassuring Steeler Nation that this group still has the talent to dominate.
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Steelers middle linebacker Payton Wilson (41) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Wilson continued to explain why he remains confident in this defense despite the struggles to start the year. While he believes the new faces have brought something exciting to the scheme, Steelers fans are still concerned about what they saw Drake Maye and Hunter Henry do in Week 3.
"Like Jack’s [Sawyer] sack last week," Wilson said. "No one even touched him. I think we are doing a lot of different things to try and switch it up. Instead of it just being like the same old, same old… Switch it up, get some guys home. Obviously, TJ [Watt] gets chipped on every single play so we got to allow him to get a 1 on 1 every now and again. Just switching things up."
The Steelers gave TJ Watt a $41 million per year extension in the 2025 offseason, and with that came massive expectations. He has been counted on to wreak havoc, but some fans were beginning to worry about his lack of splash plays in recent weeks. On Sunday, Watt reminded everyone why he is still one of the most dominant players in the NFL, making his presence felt once again.
Steelers' Teryl Austin Has Struggled Big Time In 2025
This defense is stacked with talent, and even new addition Jabrill Peppers made his mark in Week 3 with a few big plays of his own. Still, for all the money and talent invested, Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin has not lived up to expectations.
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Steelers outside linebacker TJ Watt (90) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Through three games, the Steelers are giving up an average of 386 yards per contest, which is not the kind of performance fans expected when facing quarterbacks like Justin Fields, Sam Darnold, and Maye.
The silver lining is that Sunday’s performance showed signs of momentum, and Pittsburgh will look to build on it as they head overseas to Dublin, Ireland, for a Week 4 showdown against the Minnesota Vikings at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.
What do you make of Payton Wilson's statement about the defense through the first three weeks of the season? 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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