Here are the five Steelers that had surprisingly good seasons in 2020
The Steelers had historically their best start this season when they won their first 11 games. While the end of the year was a bitter pill to swallow, the team still had a plethora of players that exceeded what many people thought that they would. While it was hard to trim this list to just five players, the ones below not only had some of the better seasons but also had lower expectations than a typical star (TJ Watt did not make this list as his dominant season was expected, as an example). With that said, here are the five Steelers that had the most surprisingly good seasons from 2020.
Mike Hilton
While expectations for Mike Hilton was his usual solid self, he really seemed to take his gameplay to the next level. Despite suffering through some injuries, Hilton was easily the most disruptive player in the secondary next to Minkah Fitzpatrick. In the 12 games, he was healthy for, Hilton posted a career-high three interceptions to go along with an impressive three sacks. For a defensive back, those numbers are extremely impressive.
Hilton has always been a great run defender. It was his calling card in college, and it was what ultimately got him onto the roster in the first place. That was on display once again this season, as Hilton was one of the best run defenders on the entire team. This season though, his coverage really took a step up. In total, he only allowed a quarterback rating of 60.2, a nearly elite number for a player in the secondary.
While it seems likely that Hilton gets paid and leaves the Steelers this season, he certainly put his best football on display this season. He has earned a big contract, even if it means he is playing for a new team. While no one was expecting him to flop this year, he easily had his best season as a pro. He took his game to a new level despite the high expectations he already had.
Stephon Tuitt
Similar to Hilton, no one was expecting Stephon Tuitt to have a mediocre season. Last year, he was wreaking havoc up until he was injured and lost for a year. Many people were expecting similar results this year, great play but limitations due to injury. Luckily, Tuitt remained healthy this season, and he made opposing offenses pay for it.
Tuitt was second on the team in sacks and was consistently disrupting the play from behind the line of scrimmage. He was easily the best defensive lineman for the Steelers this year, and that is no way a knock on the other players that the team had along the line. Tuitt was a wrecking ball on a weakly basis, and his impressive play was key in the Steelers’ defensive dominance this season.
Better yet, Tuitt remained healthy for the season. While his injuries seemed more like unfortunate timing (he wouldn’t suffer through a few weeks of injuries here or there, it was always a big injury that cost him most of the year). It was a good sign going forward that Tuitt put up a fully healthy season and was as dominant as he was. He is still in his prime, which means he should have quite a few more dominant years left in him.
Chase Claypool
While he was a second-round pick, expectations were relatively mild for Chase Claypool entering his rookie year. While he was a physical freak on paper, the Steelers had a filled receiving room and it seemed likely that Claypool was going to be more of a rotational player during his first year. Instead, Claypool turned in one of the best years ever as a rookie for the team, and his future with the team is obviously bright.
In total, Claypool had 889 scrimmage yards and 11 total touchdowns. Considering he started the year as the number four overall receiver, it is a true testament to his talent that he saw the field so regularly. Frankly put, he made it nearly impossible to take him off the field. His only real issues were drops, as he had six of them. That said, a couple of extra reps on the jugs machine can fix that this offseason.
Hope was always high that Claypool would become a huge weapon, but he is doing that far sooner than what was anticipated. What is really scary is that the Steelers didn’t rely on the deep ball that often this season. If the Steelers push the ball more down the field, he could easily ascend into the top tier of receivers. His 2020 tape was a surprising one and going forward, he should be in consideration as a top receiver in the future.
Terrell Edmunds
It is funny how similar of a path that Terrell Edmunds is following Bud Dupree as former first-round picks. Both were athletic yet raw prospects entering the draft, and both took until a couple of years to finally develop as overall players. Dupree blossomed into one of the better pass rushers in the NFL, and while Edmunds isn’t a top strong safety, he made a similar leap this past season.
Every aspect of his game improved in his third season. His missed tackles were down, which considering he is a run-stopping player more so than a coverage ace is a great stat. As well, his interceptions went up, as he recorded two. Unfortunately, that is still the weakest aspect of his game. His coverage has developed, but he struggles to get takeaways. Both of his interceptions came in one game, and he had quite a few opportunities go through his hands.
Moving forward, the Steelers will certainly have an interesting decision on their hands as Edmunds has a fifth-year option pending. The team picked up Dupree’s despite some question marks, and the same could happen with Edmunds this year. He has taken longer than most fans would have liked, but it seems like Edmunds has at least become a decent starter. He had his best season as a pro this past year, and ideally, he builds off of it next year.
Cameron Sutton
Nobody did more this season to boost their value than Cameron Sutton. The former third-round pick was slated to be the backup slot and outside cornerback option, but injuries made him the starter at both positions for multiple games. When given the opportunity, he made opposing offenses pay with his solid play. Simply put, Sutton was the Steelers’ top coverage cornerback and was arguably their most dynamic corner on the entire roster.
While he only got one interception, he also forced out three fumbles on the year. Throw in the fact that quarterbacks had a rating of just under 80 when targeting him and it shows just how great he was. This wasn’t at just one spot though, as he was constantly playing both on the inside, outside, and even deep as a safety on occasion. His versatility mixed in with his overall play made him a success story for the Steelers.
Unfortunately for the team, Sutton is also set to be a free agent this season. He did a lot to boost his value, and it is still uncertain if the Steelers will be able to retain him. That said, he needs to be a priority for the Steelers this offseason. His 2020 was amazing, and it really has allowed him to be one of the top pending free agents on this team.
The Steelers exceeded most expectations this season with their record, and the play of a lot of these players were a prime reason for this success. Each of the players above was huge for the Steelers, and their sudden success and dominance was surprising. These are the players that were the biggest surprises for the Steelers.