Steelers' Winners And Losers From First Regular-Season Game Against The Falcons

Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers have waited a long time for the team to get back to competitive action. Another Wild Card loss at the end of the 2025 campaign led to plenty of change. Mike Tomlin made the decision to step down following the quick exit. That led to Mike McCarthy taking over the reins. The organization went from having defensive-focused leadership to a guy who loves to score points. On Sunday, there was a very clear group of winners and losers during the Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Steelers Winners

1.) TJ Watt

The Steelers didn't get the absolute best out of the 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year in 2025. On Sunday, though, he was stout. TJ Watt took advantage of everything Atlanta's offense gave him and ended up with multiple sacks and an interception return for a touchdown. Pittsburgh will be in great shape on that side of the ball if the edge rusher continues to wreak havoc. Three tackles for loss, a pair of sacks, an interception, and a score all made up an exceptional outing.

Alex Highsmith deserves credit as well after his two-sack performance. One of them came at a crucial time when Atlanta was facing a third-and-five with under seven minutes to go.

2.) Jaquan Brisker

Welcome home, Jaquan Brisker. There has been plenty of concern for the backend of the secondary due to DeShon Elliot's Injured Reserve (IR) designation, but his teammate showed up in a big way. The group needed to play well on Sunday, and the newcomer did exactly that. He also had a massive tone-setting hit on a second-and-long midway through the second quarter.

3.) Pat Freiermuth

For some reason, one of the Steelers' most talented pass-catchers was neglected in 2025. That wasn't the case on Sunday. Pat Freiermuth was the recipient of a touchdown pass following the Brisker-forced turnover. The tight end did a great job turning his route around and coming back to the ball, and that's when Aaron Rodgers found him in the back of the end zone. He may finally be a focal point of the offense.

4.) Roman Wilson & Michael Pittman Jr.

Rodgers was clear about Roman Wilson's emergence throughout the month of August. Four targets in the first half immediately suggested that the veteran quarterback was not bluffing when he spoke highly about the young wideout. Wilson may not have dominated in the box score, but he proved that he should be somewhat relevant. Michael Pittman Jr. made an impact in his first game in the Black and Gold as well, which was a very positive sign.

5.) Payton Wilson And Patrick Queen

The Steelers really needed the inside linebackers to step up in 2026. Both Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson had bright moments throughout the contest. The better news is that they will be more effective as a duo as they continue to work alongside one another. Pittsburgh seems to have committed to letting the one-two punch run the show, and it worked out on Sunday afternoon.

6.) Cam Heyward

Experience matters. Cam Heyward was all over the field versus the Falcons. He may not be as quick as he once was; however, the defensive lineman made sure that his presence was known. The clock is ticking on his professional career, but it's impossible to ignore the fact that his high motor seems to still be accessible despite his age. He has over 30 passes batted down dating back to 2021, which is incredibly impressive. He was a menace on Sunday.

Steelers Losers

1.) Omar Khan And Joey Porter Jr.

It doesn't matter where the situation goes from here. Pittsburgh and Porter were not able to reach an agreement by the organization's self-imposed deadline — which is kickoff in Week 1. Never say never, but it feels as if this relationship is going to spiral relatively quickly. Traditions are meant to be broken; however, Omar Khan could really soon forget his decisions.

2.) Danny Crossman

The Steelers' special teams unit did not inspire confidence in the preseason. That continued in Week 1, courtesy of new special teams coach Danny Crossman. There were times when there was questionable kickoff coverage — specifically to start the second half — and the embarrassment toward the end of the second quarter during a failed field goal attempt cannot go unnoticed. 

Chris Boswell also missed a 56-yard field goal that kept the Falcons in the game. This group truly does need to clean everything up before something ultimately results in the team losing.

3.) DK Metcalf

The Steelers faced a third-and-medium right at the end of the third quarter and Rodgers threw a picture-perfect pass to DK Metcalf. Unfortunately, it was dropped and Fox play-by-play announcer Joe Davis' reaction said it all.

"DK Metcalf, who has had a forgettable afternoon," Davis said.

Pittsburgh's receiving corps as a whole has a long way to go, even if Wilson and Pittman showed flashes of being reliable during the course of the Falcons' matchup.

4.) Rushing Offense

The offensive attack for the Steelers was not balanced for the majority of the contest. The commitment to hand the ball off was not very present, and that is something that will have to change moving forward. Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle are talented ball carriers; however, they won't be able to do much if they are not presented with opportunities. It got a little more effective in the fourth quarter, but there remains work to be done. Averaging 2.8 yards per carry is nowhere near good enough.

5.) Dylan Cook

A personal foul face-mask penalty and allowing a sack made up Dylan Cook's first half. It doesn't help that he is feeling the pressure of rookie Max Iheanachor, who could be starting much sooner rather than later. Rodgers needs the best possible protection at 42 years of age, and the switch from left to right tackle might not be favoring Cook so well. He also let up another critical sack on a third-and-five in the fourth quarter.

6.) Jaylen Warren

Something that has occasionally plagued Warren throughout his young career has been coughing up the football. He was certainly been better in that category in 2025, but he really hurt the team late in the first quarter after fumbling after he caught a screen pass. The Falcons scored the first touchdown of the game with a Bijan Robinson catch-and-run. 

Without the turnover, the ball carrier probably doesn't land on this list, especially after his game-clinching run. He played decent during the contest, but he is in an intense battle with Dowdle, who already has experience with McCarthy.

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