Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers have already begun to panic despite the 4-3 record. The "historical" defense that was alluded to has instead been in competition with the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals for worst defense in the NFL. Blame has been getting thrown around when in reality, there is not one single person affiliated with Pittsburgh's defense who is not at fault for this absolute disaster of a unit. It's even worse when it feels like they are being handed the AFC North crown, but refuse to actually take it.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin before a home game against the Green Bay Packers during the 2025 season on Sunday Night Football in Week 8.
During his weekly Tomlin Tuesday press conference, Head Coach Mike Tomlin was asked all about these defensive issues, including the much-maligned play of cornerback Darius Slay. He refused to actually call him out for his struggles and gave an assessment that many fans do not agree with at all.
"[Darius Slay] has been solid at times certainly," Tomlin said. "He's left a few plays out there, but I think that's not only reflective of him, but reflective of the collective."
Previously, Tomlin was also asked about Slay only playing about 50% of the defensive snaps and being benched for Brandin Echols late in Week 8. Tomlin brushed it off by saying it was just the standard rotation and it wasn't him actually getting benched for anything. He is most likely in his final season in the NFL, so it makes sense that the former Super Bowl champion can't play every down like he used to.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Darius Slay celebrates on the sideline after a big play against the New England Patriots in Week 3 of the 2025 season.
As the broadcasters mentioned on Sunday Night Football, it does seem like Slay gets targeted more often, as he is the weaker link. There are also plenty of clips where he struggles and sometimes fails to make a tackle, leading to a big play. At this point, it is evident that he has lost a step, and it's easier for quarterbacks to prey on him than it is with the others.
Of course, it's not like anyone in this secondary has actually played well. It just feels like out of all the defensive backs, Slay has been the weakest one. There may not be a single player on this unit that can be classified as "solid" at this point, let alone the third-string cornerback that might be close to falling on the depth chart. "At times" may be the only thing accurate about Tomlin's quote.
Steelers May Be Just Trying To Not Embarrass Slay Publicly
Of course, Tomlin isn't going to come out and say that signing him was a big mistake and that he has been an outright disaster on the field. That's not how the Steelers operate. To be fair, it wouldn't make sense to only call him out when nobody on the defense has been particularly good in 2025. Everything has just been downright awful, and changes have to go beyond benching Slay.
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Steelers cornerback Darius Slay Jr. (23) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Everything has been going wrong for the defense. Even if Slay is truly the weakest link, swapping him out for Echols will not fix the true problems with this team. The defense is not one of the worst units in the NFL just because of one cornerback. The issues go far beyond him. There is arguably not one single player that could come in and make this a Top 25 defense in the league.
Slay has not been solid, but neither have the superstars. The coaching is nowhere near solid either. This defense may not be fixable until 2026, and that would require massive changes that the organization does not like to make. Even after the veteran cornerback retires, it could be a long time before this unit is respectable.
What do you think about Tomlin praising Slay? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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