Steelers' Defense Faces Brutal Reality After Being Labeled "Past Their Prime"

The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense was highly praised in the 2025 offseason. Many pundits liked what Mike Tomlin did with the defense, building out the roster with some big-time moves. Despite all the new exciting faces on this defense and the abundance of talent, the Steelers have given up an average of 398.2 total yards of offense per game. That is far too much for a unit that was expected to be among the best in the NFL. Instead, when the Steelers' defense is not getting splash plays, they have looked like one of the leakiest groups in the league. This has raised serious questions about whether this defense is truly capable of living up to its preseason hype.

With a primetime matchup against Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers in Week 8 on Sunday Night Football, the Steelers have a major opportunity to silence the noise. A strong defensive showing could change the tone around this team and restore some confidence in a unit that has been under heavy scrutiny. The pressure is on TJ Watt, and Cameron Heyward to remind everyone why this defense was considered elite on paper. Pittsburgh cannot afford another outing filled with missed tackles, blown coverages, and a lack of consistent pressure if they want to get their season back on track.

Former NFL linebacker and current ESPN analyst Bart Scott did not hold back when discussing the Steelers’ struggles during an appearance on Get Up on Friday. Scott made it obvious that he believes the Steelers' defense is in real danger of losing its identity, pointing to the lack of discipline and communication breakdowns that have hurt them through the first seven weeks. 

"Well, it's like grumpy old men," Scott said Friday while speaking on ESPN's Get Up. "Sometimes, we forget these guys are past their prime. They're on the back end of their prime and they're trying to figure out how they're gonna play."

Scott argued that the Steelers still have top-tier talent, but their reliance on big plays to cover deeper issues is not sustainable. According to Scott, the issue may be out of the hands of Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin or even Tomlin. 

He genuinely believes that with Watt at age 31, Heyward at 36, and Jalen Ramsey also 31, time has caught up with this defense. In his view, if that is truly the case, the issue is nearly impossible to fix.

"I don't think they're gonna go one-on-one like they did," Scott said. "I think last week proved a lot, when you look at Ramsey, when you look at [Darius] Slay. They're good players. But they have to be protected as well!"

The Steelers also brought in Darius Slay on a one-year deal worth $10 million in the 2025 offseason. The biggest concern was the fact that he is 34 years old. 

Steelers' Defense Starving To Shut Down Green Bay At Home

While Scott makes a point about the Steelers' defense being older, there is plenty of young, talented players mixed in, and saying they are past their prime is no excuse. All four of the veteran players are still compensated as if they are in their prime for the most part. 

The Steelers' defense has issues; some believe they are fixable, while others think Father Time has caught up. One thing is certain. This unit will be starving for a dominant home performance against the Packers on Sunday night.

Do you agree with Bart Scott about the Steelers' 2025 defense being way past its prime? Why or why not? 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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