The Pittsburgh Steelers started the 2026 campaign on the right foot with a win against the Atlanta Falcons, 20-13. Many uncertainties remain on defense, given the Falcons' unfortunate signal-caller situation, but one thing was certain: the defensive line was dominant. Led by TJ Watt, the unit held superstar running back Bijan Robinson in check on the ground and made quarterback Cooper Rush uncomfortable.
Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' TJ Watt celebrates with his teammates after scoring a touchdown in Week 1 of the 2026 season.
The Steelers' defensive line is arguably the deepest position group on the team. With Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black going into year two, and the addition of Sebastian Joseph-Day, the trenches have a diverse skill set of rushing the passer and plugging the run. The defensive line started hot in Week 1 and should get even better as the season progresses.
Along with a new defensive coordinator, the defensive line has a new position coach who can relate to his players. Mike McCarthy brought in Domata Peko from the Dallas Cowboys as his defensive line coach. Peko spent years going to war with Pittsburgh with the Cincinnati Bengals and coached under McCarthy for a season. Now, he leads arguably the team's best position group and will go against his former team twice a year.
Peko doesn't have much coaching experience, which makes his time as a player all the more valuable. Recently, insider Mark Kaboly appeared on his show, Kaboly + Mack, and said Peko's playing experience is huge for Pittsburgh's defensive line. After the 2020 season, the former defensive tackle retired; he's just six years removed from NFL action.
"For him to come into this room of diverse people, and I say diverse, anyone from a 16-year veteran to an undrafted rookie free agent, with one year of coaching in college... I think him being a guy who's been there, done that is significant," Kaboly said. "He's not far removed from doing that, people know who he is... I think, position coaches, I would say he played at a high level. I mean, he was eight straight captaincies for the Bengals; he played 200 games. I would consider that a high level. I think position coaches, that means a lot for. I don't know if that means a lot for head coaches, but I think the position coaches, when you say, 'Hey, you need to do this, this, this, and this,' you can translate the message to the players where they can understand, at least more clearly."
Peko faced Cam Heyward on numerous occasions in their division matchups; now he coaches the former All-Pro. Heyward is already a well-established veteran with little left to learn, but Peko's work will show with the young defensive lineman. Drawing on his recent playing experience, he can help Harmon, Black, and Keeanu Benton from a different perspective.
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Steelers defensive tackle Keanu Benton during Week 1 matchup against the Falcons on September 13, 2026.
Being able to relate to his players can go a long way from a coaching standpoint. Peko can teach techniques that best fit his players' skill sets and help them find the pass-rush moves they're most comfortable with.
Steelers' Defensive Line Must Continue This Trend
The Steelers' defensive line wasn't perfect in Week 1, but they were very impressive. Too often in 2025, the pass rush would disappear, and the run defense would crumble. Pittsburgh plays teams that are proficient in the ground game and will need to be stout. Peko will not only help his players improve early in the season, but also improve as the season goes on.
With Rush playing QB on Sunday, Steeler Nation must take everything it saw with a grain of salt. The Falcons' offense wasn't near its top form, and the Steelers took advantage, but that won't be the case every game. Watt and the rest of the pass rushers must wreak havoc every week if they want to be a top unit on defense. The upcoming matchup against the New England Patriots will be a much better test for the collective and how legit they really are.
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