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There’s been a lot of talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive overhaul. Gone are Bud Dupree, Mike Hilton and Steven Nelson. And, for a brief stint, so was Tyson Alualu and Vince Williams. It’s been difficult not to take it to heart, the fact that the defense will look a lot different going into the 2021 season. We’ve found ways to comfort ourselves (at least we still have Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Joe Haden and TJ Watt). Hell, I have to do this at least once a day.
But the name I’ve seen so often omitted from this list of solace is Stephon Tuitt.
Remember him?
That other guy on the line who logged 45 tackles, 11 sacks, and forced 2 fumbles last year?
Yeah, he still plays here. It’s hard to remember that when he’s placed alongside generational talent like that. But he belongs on that list too. And he showed up to WORK in 2020 after missing most of the 2019 season due to injury. He was quick, played smart, and followed through on every tackle, every play, every down.
Just check this out:
With the help of Watt, Tuitt obliterates this RPO play. He tracks the football and sticks with it the entire time, and swiftly brings down Gus Edwards in the backfield.
He’s the kind of player who leaves you wondering, “how is that possible?” And he does that a lot.
Like he did right here in the same game:
While on the other end of a fierce hold, um, I mean, block, Tuitt is STILL somehow able to reach out and grab enough of Lamar Jackson to disrupt the pass and force him to make an errant throw. The amount of strength and grit that requires is difficult to imagine. But against the odds, he makes the play.
Yet, for whatever reason, he slips our minds more than he should. Having someone like this on the line is no small thing, and he is yet another freak talent we are lucky to watch on the gridiron each Sunday.
That’s not to say the losses of Dupree, Hilton and Nelson won’t hurt; they do. But the idea that our defense is decimated, dry, and weak is easy to disprove. And sure, we have Fitzpatrick, Heyward, Watt and Haden to thank in part for that. But we can’t forget to thank Tuitt for being a critical part of this defense – one that is often overlooked.
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But the name I’ve seen so often omitted from this list of solace is Stephon Tuitt.
Remember him?
That other guy on the line who logged 45 tackles, 11 sacks, and forced 2 fumbles last year?
Yeah, he still plays here. It’s hard to remember that when he’s placed alongside generational talent like that. But he belongs on that list too. And he showed up to WORK in 2020 after missing most of the 2019 season due to injury. He was quick, played smart, and followed through on every tackle, every play, every down.
Just check this out:
With the help of Watt, Tuitt obliterates this RPO play. He tracks the football and sticks with it the entire time, and swiftly brings down Gus Edwards in the backfield.
He’s the kind of player who leaves you wondering, “how is that possible?” And he does that a lot.
Like he did right here in the same game:
While on the other end of a fierce hold, um, I mean, block, Tuitt is STILL somehow able to reach out and grab enough of Lamar Jackson to disrupt the pass and force him to make an errant throw. The amount of strength and grit that requires is difficult to imagine. But against the odds, he makes the play.
Yet, for whatever reason, he slips our minds more than he should. Having someone like this on the line is no small thing, and he is yet another freak talent we are lucky to watch on the gridiron each Sunday.
That’s not to say the losses of Dupree, Hilton and Nelson won’t hurt; they do. But the idea that our defense is decimated, dry, and weak is easy to disprove. And sure, we have Fitzpatrick, Heyward, Watt and Haden to thank in part for that. But we can’t forget to thank Tuitt for being a critical part of this defense – one that is often overlooked.
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
