Steelers' Teryl Austin Gives Fiery Response To Patrick Queen's Eye-Opening Comments

The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense headed into the 2025 season with many pundits fully anticipating a dominant year from the unit. Led by superstars like TJ Watt, Cam Heyward, Patrick Queen, Jalen Ramsey, and several other talented players, the expectation was that such a stacked and highly paid group would form one of the NFL’s elite defenses. On paper, there was every reason to believe Pittsburgh would overwhelm opponents and carry the team through the toughest stretches of the season.

That has not been the case during the 2025 campaign. Although the defense has shown rare spurts where it flashes its true potential, consistency has been a glaring issue. Too often, breakdowns in coverage, slow starts, and a lack of in-game adaptability have prevented the unit from performing at the elite level many projected. As a result, both fans and analysts have grown increasingly frustrated, pointing to schematic issues and predictable strategy as major factors holding the group back.

A significant complaint from the fan base and media has centered on Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin’s approach, particularly his reluctance to adjust on the fly. That criticism intensified when Queen indirectly called out both Austin and Head Coach Mike Tomlin on Wednesday, expressing frustration with the lack of adjustments during the Steelers’ 31–28 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 12. 

On Friday, Austin responded to those remarks, addressing the situation through a transcript provided by the Steelers and attempting to clarify his perspective on how the defense is being coached and where improvements must be made.

"There always is," Austin said in response to improvements needing to be made. "There's always gonna be things that happen every game that we're not happy with as coaches, [and] they're not happy with as players. And that's why we get back at it every week. Every call is not gonna be perfect, every player's not gonna be perfect, and we just have to be able to come out on the right side and make more plays than we give up. And so that's really what our focus is. Our guys have been good. They've been good all year."

Austin’s comments about his defense being good all year are simply incorrect. The Steelers’ defense has not performed at a high level this season, and there is no denying that they have a significant amount of work ahead. 

A unit that was expected to be one of the best in the league has instead been one of the worst statistically for most of the 2025 campaign, falling well short of the lofty preseason expectations placed on it.

"The feedback is always good," Austin said. "I'd much rather have guys that have some feedback and want to know, 'Hey, how can we make this better?' than guys that just throw their hands up in the air."

Steelers' Teryl Austin Makes Strange Comments That May Just Prove He's Lost

While Austin claims he appreciates the feedback, his remarks suggest a disconnect with the reality of the situation. His players clearly do not share the same assessment of where the defense stands. Instead, they appear frustrated, vocal, and increasingly willing to point fingers. This is an unsettling trend that mirrors what took place during the 2024 season.

The tension between the performance on the field and the messaging from the coaching staff has only added to the frustration surrounding this group. If anything is clear, it is that the Steelers defense needs more than small adjustments. It needs a reset in accountability, communication, and execution if it hopes to live up to its enormous potential.

What do you make of Teryl Austin's comments about his defense? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me. I will respond!

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