Steelers' Defense Gets Called Out For Poor Performance By Super Bowl-Winning Coach

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a rollercoaster start to the 2026 regular season. The team currently sits third in the AFC North with a record of 2-2. The offense has been extremely inconsistent, showing some explosive moments, but lacking the overall efficiency that can singlehandedly win the team games. The defense looked amazing during its first two games of the season, but since then, things have gone downhill. Most recently, the defense had a poor showing during a Week 4 loss to the rival Cleveland Browns. The major question: Which unit is the bigger issue right now?

One of the biggest headlines surrounding the Steelers in 2026 had to do with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. He was dealing with an "injury" and a contract dispute with the front office, which eventually led to him being traded to the Dallas Cowboys.

Immediately following the trade came the loss to Cleveland, and along with it came an injury to Pittsburgh's starting cornerback Jamel Dean. The secondary is extremely thin now due to injuries and Porter Jr.'s absence. Pittsburgh did sign a couple of free agent defensive backs, but it does not seem likely that any move made thus far will completely turn this defense around.

The relentless pass rush to which Steelers fans have become accustomed to has not been there, especially in Week 4. This lack of pressure makes the weak secondary's job that much harder. It is going to take every portion of the unit to be firing on all cylinders to get the defense back on track when Pittsburgh takes on the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5.

During a recent episode of the Gruden Family Football Show, Super Bowl-winning head coach and NFL analyst Jon Gruden commented on the issues the Steelers' defense has been dealing with in 2026.

"It's a tough deal for me watching the Steelers. Their defense has been a letdown," Gruden pointed out. "They have the highest-priced defense and they let Deshaun Watson drop back with no pressure. They were struggling. I don't even know who the hell their starting cornerbacks are going to be. Wake this d**n defense up."

Gruden is viewed as one of the most dynamic minds in football, and his analysis of the Steelers' defense is not far off from the presumed view that many Steelers fans have had through four weeks of the season. Pittsburgh has allocated a lot of resources into this defense, and its current performance hampers the entire organization. 

Some of the big-name veterans on the defense, including TJ Watt, Cameron Heyward, and Jalen Ramsey, have recently voiced their frustrations and made it clear that something needs to change. New defensive coordinator Patrick Graham was able to dial up some solid packages and rotations during the Steelers' first two games, but since then, the scheme has looked bland, and the players have not been put in good positions to make plays. Some fans have questioned the effort of certain players, but when things are going badly and the team is losing, negative aspects will always receive more attention than positive ones. 

Steelers' DeShon Elliott Returning Could Give The Defense The Boost It Needs

Although Steelers standout safety DeShon Elliott will not be making his return in Week 5, his practice window has been opened by the team, and it seems like he could return in Week 6 or 7. Elliott is a very underrated piece of this defense, as he allows Ramsey to move all around the unit and play at different positions. The safety duo of Jaquan Brisker and Elliott has not yet seen the field together in 2026, and once they do, Ramsey could settle into his natural role. Pittsburgh has also shown interest in signing or trading for another defensive back to bolster its secondary following the departure of Porter Jr. and the injury to Dean. 

Hopefully, the Steelers' defense will return to its best form in the coming weeks as it potentially gets some help with the eventual return of Elliott and Dean. 

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