Steelers' Patrick Queen Explains The Best Part About Having DeShon Elliott In Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers have loaded up their defense with former Baltimore Ravens players in recent years. Numerous stars have switched sides to play meaningful snaps for the Black and Gold. Arguably the most notable signing was linebacker Patrick Queen to be the quarterback of the Pittsburgh defense. It was rough sledding at first, but he seems to have found his groove in the Steel City. Many others have followed in free agency, or even waiver claims.

Another one of those players is a journeyman safety in DeShon Elliott, who has quickly become a fan favorite. During a recent interview noted by ESPN's Brooke Pryor, Queen explained what made Elliott one of his favorites in the locker room as well.

"He got the biggest mouth on the team," Queen said. "Dude doesn't shut up, but when you're on the field, that's the best thing about it. Just continuous communication. Even sometimes when he don't know what the h*ll he's talking about, dude's on point. He makes plays. I just love having him back, and I love hearing him talk."

The Steelers have had to put a major emphasis on communication in recent years, and Elliott has been at the forefront of those conversations. Obviously, he practices what he preaches, as he always tries to communicate and help everyone around him know their assignment. 

From what Queen said, it sounds like Elliott has a tendency to ramble with "when he don't know what the h*ll he's talking about," but it's still a great way to fire up the defense and get people going. He gives off Jameis Winston vibes on the field with how he can be inspiring, whether what he says makes sense to everyone or not. As long as he's inspiring, that all that matters.

The Steelers seemed to miss Elliott's presence early in the year. They had plenty of splash plays in Week 3, but ever since he got injured in Week 1, the defense lacked the physicality and definitely the communication. Week 4 was a much cleaner game, outside of one brutal miscommunication that almost cost Pittsburgh the game. That resulted in an 81-yard catch from Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison. The return of Elliott was a big part of that overall improved performance, however, and he helped lead Pittsburgh to a win in Ireland.

Steelers Don't Always Appreciate Elliott's Mouth

Sometimes, that motormouth makes its way over to social media, and it's usually not for the better. Elliott revealed that he got in trouble with the front office for his Osama bin Tomlin post in 2024. That post went viral quickly and wouldn't be his last.

Elliott has also had to put his foot in his mouth after publicly requesting that the Steelers don't sign Aaron Rodgers. Of course, they did not take his criticisms and request into consideration, as they waited for many months for Rodgers to finally make up his mind and sign a one-year contract. Whether Elliott likes it or not, they are now teammates, and that might be the case in 2026 as well.

After he returned from Ireland, Elliott went off on the NFL for fining him because he had a different colored towel. He gave a very threatening message, telling the league to count its days. He later took it down, probably from the advice of his agent and/or demands from the team. 

What do you think about Queen praising Elliott's ability to talk and communicate? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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