Steelers’ Art Rooney II Takes Shot At Mike Tomlin's 2025 Defense In Critical Statement

The Pittsburgh Steelers can change coordinators and head coaches, expand their packages and add new personnel, but Art Rooney II is keeping one foundational demand in place. The owner had a specific message for the defensive unit specifically on Friday when making a media appearance.

The concern is not built around one ugly game or one struggling position group.  In 2025, opponents rushed for 1,922 yards against Pittsburgh while averaging 4.3 yards per attempt. The defense produced stretches of better football late in the year, but it spent too much of the season allowing offenses to stay balanced and avoid the obvious passing situations that should favor the Steelers’ edge rushers.

A new defensive structure gives Pittsburgh a chance to attack the problem differently. Patrick Graham replaced Teryl Austin as defensive coordinator, Domata Peko took over the defensive line and Mike McCarthy placed the unit inside a broader organizational reset. Mike Tomlin also no longer has a say in any of the game planning. The terminology and responsibilities may change, but Rooney made clear that the first camp evaluation will begin with the same basic question.

During a recent interview shared by the Steelers, Rooney identified run defense as one of the developments he will watch most closely in Latrobe.

“On defense, as always, we need to stop the run, I think, better than we have recently,” Rooney said. “So, I think a few things like that are going to be important to watch.”

Pittsburgh has enough talent for that standard to be reasonable. Cameron Heyward remains the leader of the defensive front after earning another All-Pro honor in 2025. Keeanu Benton is coming off career highs in tackles and sacks, while Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black enter their second seasons with opportunities to become more complete interior defenders.

The issue is making those pieces function together on early downs. Heyward cannot carry every run fit at 37 years old. Benton has to hold his ground when offenses test the middle, Harmon must stay available and Black needs to turn his size into consistent control of blockers. Sebastian Joseph-Day also gives Pittsburgh an experienced interior option who can help keep the rotation fresh.

Harmon’s rookie season showed how much one player can affect the structure. Pittsburgh allowed 91 rushing yards per game and 4.0 yards per carry when he played. Without him, those numbers rose to 166 yards and 4.7 yards per attempt. His presence helped, but the split also showed how vulnerable the defense became when the rotation lost one important body.

A dependable run defense should survive injuries and substitutions without falling apart. Pittsburgh’s defensive line problem involved more than the starters, and the new staff has to build enough depth for every combination to maintain its gaps.

The linebackers will be judged as part of the correction. Patrick Queen acknowledged that 2025 did not meet his standard, while Payton Wilson enters another season with the speed to become a major part of Graham’s defense. Both players can cover ground, but that athleticism loses value when offensive linemen reach the second level untouched or a missed fit opens a clean lane.

Graham’s system should give the front seven different ways to solve the same problem. Pittsburgh can alter alignments, use heavier bodies inside and move its outside linebackers around the formation. TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig can create pressure from several spots, but they also have to set dependable edges when offenses try to run away from the interior strength.

The AFC North will test every weakness. The Baltimore Ravens can build their offense around a powerful rushing attack. The Cincinnati Bengals may prefer to throw, but a light box gives them an easy way to control the pace. The Cleveland Browns will also force Pittsburgh to prove it can handle physical football before allowing the pass rush to take over.

Steelers Must Earn The Right To Attack

Stopping the run is not only about protecting a franchise tradition. It determines whether Pittsburgh can use the most dangerous parts of its defense. Watt, Highsmith and Herbig become more difficult to contain when the opponent faces third-and-long. Jalen Ramsey and the secondary can disguise more aggressively when play-action is less convincing.

Failure on early downs creates the opposite problem. The pass rush has to hesitate, linebackers become vulnerable to run-pass conflicts and the secondary is asked to tackle after the offense dictates the matchup. One successful run can affect the calls available on the next several snaps.

Training camp will not provide a complete answer because defenders cannot tackle teammates to the ground during every period. Padded practices can still expose whether linemen are controlling blocks, linebackers are fitting the correct gaps and edge defenders are forcing runners back toward help. Those details should carry more weight than an occasional backfield collision.

Rooney’s public emphasis places the issue above one coordinator or one position coach. Pittsburgh changed the defensive staff, invested heavily in the front and retained several expensive veterans. The defense cannot continue relying on splash plays to cover for stretches when opponents move the ball on the ground.

The final month of 2025 offered a useful starting point. Pittsburgh allowed 3.7 yards per carry over its last four regular-season games as the younger linemen gained experience and the front stabilized. Graham and Peko now have to make that performance the baseline rather than a late-season improvement.

The Steelers want a defense capable of confusing quarterbacks and creating pressure from unexpected places. Rooney is asking for something less complicated before any of it can work. Pittsburgh has to control the line, close the rushing lanes and force opponents to play the game on the defense’s terms.

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