Former Steelers LB Vince Williams Blasts Keeanu Benton For Lousy Play After His Big Payday

The Pittsburgh Steelers gained a ton of momentum after beating the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3 and gave themselves a real chance to take a firm lead in the AFC North, but the group squandered that opportunity. The Steelers lost to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football in Week 4, and it was not a pretty performance from Pittsburgh and that has resulted in days of arguing amongst the fan base as blame has been placed up and down the roster. Fans in Pittsburgh always expect to beat the Browns, but the Steelers have struggled playing in Cleveland since 2022, and that continued in Week 4.

One of the major concerns that blossomed after the loss to Cleveland was the play of the defense for Pittsburgh. The tackling was atrocious, and the Steelers continuously allowed the Browns to convert on big downs. The defense was especially vulnerable at the end of the game as the Browns were able to march down the field with ease to kick the game-winning field goal. A lot of defenders have been blamed since the game ended, including defensive tackle Keeanu Benton.

Benton signed a lucrative extension during the 2026 offseason, so he is under a decent amount of pressure to perform and the expectations are now higher for him. It is safe to say that he has not met those expectations, and former Pittsburgh linebacker Vince Williams called him out on the Steelers Blitz Podcast for his performances up until this point in the season.

"I'm looking at Keeanu Benton immediately," Williams said. "You need to make more impact on the game. What is going on? You've gotta make more plays. You've gotta step up. Keeanu, you're supposed to be the person that they just paid and supposed to be stepping up. You've gotta make more plays. I don't feel like Keeanu Benton is carrying his weight. He's not justifying his contract. He's the third-best defensive tackle we have right now. Let's say Harmon is playing the best. Cam Heyward just had eight tackles this game. What are you gonna do to affect the game in a major way?”

Benton's production in terms of statistics has not been good through four games. He has just nine total tackles, and he went without bringing anyone to the ground in Week 2. He has recorded no other statistic like pass deflections or forced fumbles, and it is safe to say that the organization expects more from him.

To be fair to Benton, his motion doesn't necessarily cater to statistics. He is supposed to eat blocks and clog up running lanes, and that doesn't show up in a typical box score. He is an important part of the defense when it comes to stopping the run and and stopping offenses in short yardage situations. He did not do a good enough job of that in Week 4, and he hasn't throughout the 2026 season.

Steelers Will Be Under Fire If Keeanu Benton Doesn't Improve

The Steelers had plenty of players from the 2023 draft class that could be extended during the 2026 offseason. Benton, Nick Herbig, and Darnell Washington got new deals, while the situation with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was ugly and he was ultimately traded to the Dallas Cowboys. Herbig has made some plays in 2026 and it is expected that he will make splash plays as the season goes on, and Washington has fulfilled his role through four games. Benton is the piece that needs to step up, and if he doesn't, the franchise isn't going to look all that great. 

Fans are going to blame the organization for extending Benton over Porter, even though it is impossible to tell if the two are correlated at all. The Steelers could have found a way to get both deals done, but obviously that did not happen. Derrick Harmon was recently placed on Injured Reserve, so Benton is going to have to step up in a big way over the next several weeks.

What do you think about Benton's play so far in 2026? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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