Steelers Defender Is Already Justifying Patrick Graham’s Controversial Position Group Decision

The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to deliver a happy debut for new head coach Mike McCarthy as he started the next chapter of his NFL coaching career on Sunday. The 20-13 win against the Atlanta Falcons was a game that was emotional for the Pittsburgh native as he now gets to coach his hometown team. There were a lot of questions surrounding the organization leading up to the start of the regular season given how much change it underwent this offseason. One of the biggest of those was how the defense would perform for new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham compared to their play in recent years.

While TJ Watt had a huge interception return for a touchdown that his coach had strong words about after the game, another player stood out on Sunday. Linebacker Payton Wilson had a tremendous game against Atlanta with 13 tackles recorded in the contest. His massive performance in Week 1 was enough to earn praise from a previous member of the Black and Gold.

On Monday, former offensive lineman Trai Essex and quarterback Charlie Batch co-hosted an episode of their Snap Count podcast. While Essex initially praised the performance of the third-year linebacker, Batch then doubled down on the performance. He also did not forget to give a ton of credit to his defensive coordinator.

“Like you mentioned, Payton Wilson played phenomenal,” Batch said. “13 tackles throughout the course of the game. He was everywhere and that's exactly what they wanted to see and that's why Patrick Graham was comfortable without making any moves in the linebacker group. Because he saw what he had and he can actually put game plans together.”

It was a huge tone-setting performance for the defense in their debut with Graham taking over at defensive coordinator. The lone touchdown allowed by them came due to a Jaylen Warren fumble that set Atlanta up deep into Pittsburgh territory. Following their lone touchdown in the first quarter, the new-look defense in the Steel City allowed just two field goals the rest of the way. For Wilson, it was a great showing as he looks to establish a name for himself as a reliable veteran linebacker in the NFL in just his third season.

What may be more valuable than the 13 tackles he contributed was his ability to be all over the field as Batch alluded to. Another thing that stood out on the defensive side of the ball is they Steelers looking much improved in terms of communication. That was one thing Graham knew he had to work on with the unit and they passed their first test of the regular season. 

Steelers Need To Build Off Momentum On Defense From Week 1

With the Falcons starting third-string quarterback Cooper Rush on Sunday, the Steelers were ready to get after him early and often. Wilson did just that in his first game of the 2026 season as two of his 13 tackles were for losses. The competition is only going to improve for the Black and Gold as the season progresses, so it is important for them to build off the momentum that they started in Sunday's victory. Carrying it over into Week 2 would be huge for them as they travel to face a heated rival in the New England Patriots.

Wilson is no different when it comes to carrying over the momentum into Week 2 and beyond. He was able to earn high praise not only for himself, but also his defensive coordinator, as the team looks to find a new identity under this coaching staff in Pittsburgh. With the front office very open to giving out extensions this offseason, establishing himself as a solidified member of the linebacking corps can open up the door for him to be on the receiving end of one of those extensions in the near future. If his performance Sunday is any indication of what is to come in 2026, the Black and Gold defense will be well on their way to establishing themselves as the dominant force they used to be.

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