Steelers' Teryl Austin Fires Off Direct Statement About The Trend Of His Defense In 2025

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for a big game against the Minnesota Vikings overseas in Ireland in Week 4 of the 2025 NFL season. This will be a tough matchup for the Steelers as the Vikings have one of the stronger defenses in the league, but Pittsburgh's defense will be going up against a backup quarterback in Carson Wentz. The defense for the Steelers has been shaky through three weeks, but the group could be getting healthier for this matchup as both DeShon Elliott and Joey Porter Jr. could return to the starting lineup.

Pittsburgh rosters the highest-paid defense in the NFL for the fourth consecutive season, so it is safe to say that the start to the 2025 season has been disappointing. Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin and Head Coach Mike Tomlin have been under fire for the way the group has performed up to this point, especially when considering the fact that the Steelers haven't necessarily faced any high-level offenses. Austin spoke to the media on Thursday and he discussed the trajectory of his defense and the way the unit has began the year, and he seems optimistic moving forward.

"Now that we're starting to get those game snaps under our belt, kind of see us getting a little bit better," Austin said. "We got a long ways to go, don't get me wrong. But I feel we can get there, because l like the talent and the work ethic of the group."

The Steelers introduced a lot of new faces to the defense during the 2025 offseason. It takes time for all of these players to gel together, especially on the backend in the secondary. This has been seen from a couple of busted coverages so far, with one case of that being responsible for an easy touchdown for the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2.

Pittsburgh currently ranks 28th in the NFL when it comes to yards given up and 22nd in points. That is completely unacceptable when taking into account the amount of resources that have been poured into that side of the football. The group needs to get better as the season goes on, and there is no better time to do that than on the international stage against a backup quarterback in Wentz.

The Steelers will need to shut down the run from Minnesota and force Wentz to beat Pittsburgh with his arm. This will allow the pass rush to make some plays, which will hopefully force the backup into making some mistakes with the football. 

It is safe to say that Austin is coaching for his job throughout the remainder of the 2025 season. His group has underperformed thus far, and it needs to improve if he wants to retain his position as the defensive coordinator in Pittsburgh. Austin made some changes in Week 3 that paid dividends, and that innovation needs to continue until the defense is the best version of itself.

Steelers' Defense Will Have A Tough Time Slowing Down The Vikings

Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell is one of the best in the league, and his offense is usually fairly reliable, regardless of who is at quarterback. Minnesota has a talented and underrated running back in Jordan Mason, and slowing him down is going to be a key to Pittsburgh's defensive success. In the passing game, the obvious threat is Justin Jefferson, while Jordan Addison is also expected to make his season debut after serving a three-game suspension. Together they make up one of the best receiving duos in the league, which will test Pittsburgh's secondary.

Austin has his hands full for this matchup with Minnesota, but it is a great opportunity to show that the defense has improved.

What do you think about Austin's comments on his defense? Let us know in the comments below!

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