Steelers' Patrick Queen "Absolutely" Ready For A New Defensive Coordinator After Two Years Of Teryl Austin

The Pittsburgh Steelers have some optimism surrounding the team heading into training camp prior to the 2026 season. That has to do with an improved roster on paper, but it also has to do with the excitement surrounding the new coaching staff. Head Coach Mike McCarthy is bringing a fresh offensive philosophy to the team, and he is also going to be calling the plays himself on that side of the ball. The next most important coach, however, is arguably going to be defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who is going to be facing a lot of pressure to get the most out of this expensive group after being hired.

The defense has been a frustrating point of conversation surrounding the Steelers over the course of the last several seasons. The unit has consistently been one of the highest-paid groups in the league, but the production and reliability just has not been there. Former Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin took a lot of flack for that, but former Head Coach Mike Tomlin was also responsible for that mess as he was a defensive-minded leader that wanted to stay involved.

Pittsburgh's defensive practices under Tomlin seemed to be outdated, and the group struggled to adapt and evolve. That falls on both Tomlin and Austin, and many former players have spoken out against Austin and the defense that was being run. The latest to do so is inside linebacker Patrick Queen, and he did it in a blunt manner on X.

Queen was asked if he was excited to play under a new defensive coordinator, and he responded quickly with "absolutely". This could strictly speak to the fact that Graham has already made an impact and Queen is excited to run his defense, but it more than likely is also a slight at Austin and the defense that was being run over the last two years.

Queen is a player who could take a leap this season under new leadership and in a slightly different defense. He was signed by Pittsburgh to a three-year deal during the 2024 offseason after being a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023. He hasn't played up to that level quite yet in Pittsburgh, but maybe that has something to do with the controversial defense that the Steelers were deploying ever since he was signed.

The Steelers are a franchise that has always been known for its defense, but that has not been the case recently. The reputation is still there, but the results just are not, and that is embarrassing. There are a ton of resources that are poured into that side of the ball and the group has continued to come up short. In 2025, Pittsburgh's defense ranked 26th in yards allowed and 17th in points allowed. It is completely embarrassing to be in the bottom half of the league in both of those categories while there is that much talent on the defense.

Steelers Players Also Need To Execute

Whenever things go wrong fans love to blame the coaches and the coordinators first. It is warranted when it comes to the defense in Pittsburgh in recent years, but responsibility falls on the players as well. Guys need to go out there and execute, but that is hard to do when players are not being put in favorable situations. 

From the way former defenders have spoken out about the Steelers, the coaches were not putting defenders in great spots. In addition to that, the inconsistent offense Pittsburgh had did not help either. The defense was forced to be on the field too much, and a lot of the time in was in bad situations.

What do you think about Queen's comment on social media? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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