Steelers' Horrific Issue From 2025 May Have Finally Been Solved

The Pittsburgh Steelers have spoken at length about how Head Coach Mike McCarthy has come in and made massive changes to the team. So many new things have been implemented, from how the unit practices to when it watches film. He exclusively works with the offense as well, as he has made all kinds of alterations on that front as well. His work with the young quarterbacks is something that Pittsburgh is definitely not used to, and it's a nice surprise to have someone devote himself to making the third- and fourth-stringers reputable. 

Defensively, the biggest change has come from hearing out the players' critiques of the different schemes. Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham's plan was not to come in and tear everything down, but to get feedback, and build a game plan from there. Even with all the confusing looks for opposing offenses, the hope is that a lot can stay simple so the defense can play fast.

That simplicity has led directly to another key area getting fixed. Star edge rusher Alex Highsmith explained this great change and how well it has progressed, as noted by Christopher Carter. 

"I think the communication has been great," Highsmith said. "It’s only gotten better from OTAs to camp. I’m excited for both [Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson]: the quarterbacks of our defense. I think they’re both great players. They’ve both been flying around."

Communication is key, especially with a brand-new play-caller running the show. That has been the primary focus of the unit throughout the offseason program and training camp. So far, there has mostly been praise on this front, as everyone seems to be pleased with how they are working with each other. These communication issues may be a thing of the past.

In recent years, the communication on defense has been horrible. In the 2025 season, that issue was being brought up nearly every week for the first half of the season. Nobody was on the same page, and it led to massive gaps for the running backs and receivers getting wide open on a consistent basis. That's why this uber-talented group was ranked near the bottom of the league. 

The biggest issue appeared to be that then-Head Coach Mike Tomlin and then-Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin tried way too hard to fool opposing defenses. They were complicated for the sake of being complicated, and they fooled themselves more than the other team. Things did get better starting in Week 9, when the coaches were forced to adapt a simpler game plan.

That's the key now for the Steelers. While Graham wants to confuse the opposing offense, he can't do that if his own players are not sure of what is going on. If this works out the way that the players have hoped it would since Austin was calling the defense, then Pittsburgh should get back to its roots and become a dominating force that can shut down any offense.

Steelers' New Defense Is Helping To Make A New Leader

One other thing that Highsmith mentioned was the players that were barking out these signals. It is expected that Patrick Queen is great at communicating, as he wears the green dot each week. However, the edge rusher also hinted that Payton Wilson has also been barking out signals while grouping him with Queen as "the quarterbacks of our defense." That is not to be taken lightly.

Expectations are that Queen will end up leaving in free agency after the upcoming 2026 season. While he's still here, the Steelers are possibly preparing Wilson to fill his shoes and eventually take over as the primary three-down linebacker. He can't do that if the communication is off with everyone. Even if plays have to be simpler to get the third-year player used to this role, it will be worth it in the long run.

What do you think about the communication on defense so far? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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