Steelers' Patrick Queen Drops Explosive 11-Play Claim While Calling Out Old Scheme

The Pittsburgh Steelers have invested heavily in their defense, but that enormous price tag has not produced the postseason results the organization expected. Patrick Queen became one of the most heavily scrutinized players after signing a three-year, $41 million contract in 2024, especially once communication and schematic problems began surfacing behind the scenes.

Queen publicly voiced concerns about those issues throughout the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Some Steelers fans viewed his comments as excuses, while others believed he was exposing legitimate flaws within the defense. Queen has now offered a remarkable estimate of how often he believes he was personally responsible for Pittsburgh's breakdowns.

While appearing on Deebo & Joe live from Steelers training camp Tuesday, James Harrison directly asked Queen how much of those problems were his own fault.

"The part of me f***ing up was probably slim," Queen said. "If I could collect all the plays from an entire season, it's probably about 11 plays of me messing up. That is 11 plays out of 17 games, I'll take that."

That estimate will undoubtedly generate debate. Nobody outside Pittsburgh's meeting rooms can independently verify that Queen only made 11 mistakes because every player has a specific assignment that may not be obvious when watching from the outside. However, numerous observers inside and outside the organization believed something about the Steelers' former scheme appeared broken.

Queen also strengthened his argument by admitting that he could have played better. He did not completely absolve himself or claim every mistake belonged to somebody else. Instead, Queen drew a distinction between the plays he believes he mishandled and the situations in which Pittsburgh's structure placed him at a disadvantage.

Queen used a specific play involving Tee Higgins to explain how the scheme could leave the Steelers vulnerable, even when defenders understood what the opposing offense wanted to accomplish.

"Being out of position scheme-wise, I think of that one with Tee Higgins on Thursday Night Football where they hit Tee Higgins on a skinny post," Queen said. "They hit him on that, and it was Cover 3. You know you can get to that play, but you gotta protect this hash too. Then they'd be talking about why the middle of the field is getting hit. It's small stuff that you know as a ballplayer, but schematically, it kind of holds us back. Small stuff like that, but I could have played better for sure."

That example supports the belief that opposing teams understood how to attack Pittsburgh's defense. Queen appeared to know where the offense wanted to send the football, but his responsibilities prevented him from completely taking the throw away. When defenders consistently recognize what is coming without being placed in a position to stop it, the problem extends beyond individual execution.

Former head coach Mike Tomlin ultimately carried responsibility for that operation. His ability to avoid a losing season was impressive, but Pittsburgh had not won a playoff game since the 2016 season before he stepped away following another postseason defeat in 2025. There is no complicated formula needed to understand why that combination was no longer acceptable.

Steelers' Patrick Queen Has A Massive Opportunity For Vindication

The criticism Queen received was not entirely unfair. A three-year, $41 million contract creates enormous expectations, and highly paid players are frequently blamed when a unit underperforms. That scrutiny is part of professional sports, even when some of it becomes excessive or ignores the circumstances surrounding the player.

New defensive coordinator Patrick Graham now gives Queen a fresh start, but the change also eliminates his excuses. If Pittsburgh's previous scheme truly restricted him, Graham's defense should allow Queen to play faster, trust his instincts and demonstrate why the organization made such a significant investment in him.

That possibility should be freeing for Queen, but it also places immense pressure on him entering 2026. Pittsburgh's expensive defense must finally live up to its billing, and its linebacker will be one of the most important pieces determining whether that happens. One strong prediction is that Queen delivers an All-Pro-caliber campaign and earns some vindication after two turbulent seasons. His 11-play claim cannot be treated as independently verified fact, but his willingness to acknowledge his own shortcomings gives the explanation credibility. Now, he has an opportunity to prove that the old scheme was holding back far more than just one player.

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