The Pittsburgh Steelers have been an absolute rollercoaster throughout the 2025 season. The team started the year off with a 4-1 record and had a strong lead in the AFC North, but the team has gone 2-4 in its last six games and has fallen out of playoff positioning. The Baltimore Ravens have claimed the lead in the division, and it is going to be hard to get it back with the daunting schedule that lies ahead for Pittsburgh. The franchise has to take on Baltimore twice, the Buffalo Bills, and the Detroit Lions throughout the rest of the year, which will make getting into the postseason pretty difficult.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin looks on during a loss on the road to the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2025 season.
Pittsburgh's loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday dropped the team to a record of 6-5, which isn't horrific, however it is disappointing considering where the Steelers once stood. Motivation has to be low after losing four of their last six games, and the team has shown clear and obvious frustration throughout this weird skid of games. Pittsburgh needs to get back on track, but it is hard to imagine that will happen in 2025. Team insider Ray Fittipaldo joined the North Shore Drive podcast on Monday, and he shared a concerning tidbit about the team after the loss to Chicago.
"It's not a pissed-off locker room anymore, it's almost a locker room of resignation," Fittipaldo said. "It's almost like they realize they can't fix what's going on, or they're unable to fix what's going on. I don't see this getting much better over the last six games of the regular season."
Fittipaldo noted that the locker room seems like one of resignation, which is essentially giving up, or quitting. It wouldn't be the first time that fans have seen this, as it seemingly happened at the end of the 2024 season as well. Pittsburgh is just a little bit ahead of schedule in 2025. If the team is already feeling this way, it is going to be hard for them to climb back into the playoff picture with such a difficult schedule throughout the rest of the season.
Nick Smith / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' TJ Watt runs out of the tunnel in Chicago before a road game against the Bears in 2025.
The Steelers are on pace to have one of the worst defenses in franchise history, which is saying a lot considering the defensive units that were seen during the mid-2010s while the Killer B's were winning games for Pittsburgh due to their offensive explosions. That side of the ball has been a major disappointment for the Steelers, and the offense has been the typical, inconsistent offense that has been seen over the last several seasons.
Schematically, the defense is flawed. Players could do better on the field, but the coaching staff is not consistently putting players in the best spots to succeed. Fittipaldo said its as if the players have no faith that the problems will be fixed, which says a lot about the current coaching staff in Pittsburgh. The team is in a position where it could begin showing little fight in the coming weeks.
Nick Smith / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers linebacker Nick Herbig makes a tackle during Pittsburgh's 31-28 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season.
Steelers' Defensive Issues Have Plagued The 2025 Season
Pittsburgh hasn't been amazing on the offensive side of the ball, but that group has typically done enough to win football games. The defense has struggled when it comes to getting opposing offenses off of the field and giving up points, which is the real issue in Pittsburgh. It is the one of the highest-paid defenses in the league, yet the group plays like it is the complete opposite. The talent is there, but schematically, Pittsburgh is often outmatched. That says a lot about the coaching staff, especially now that some players are lashing out and letting their thoughts be known.
What do you think about Fittipaldo's observations of the locker room for the Steelers? Let us know in the comments below!
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