4 most underrated Steelers heading into the 2021 season

DL Stephon Tuitt

Stephon Tuitt has been making the cut of my most underrated players for as long as I have been doing this list. The former second-round pick back in 2014 has always flown under the radar, but I have a feeling that this will be the last year that he somehow goes unnoticed.

While Steelers fans started paying much closer attention to him in 2020, Tuitt is still overshadowed in the national media by teammate Cameron Heyward. Heyward is an excellent player and deserves the recognition he gets, but it’s a toss-up as to which is the better player at this point.

Though Heyward is arguably more consistent, Tuitt was significantly more productive last year – earning 11.0 sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, and 25 quarterback hits in 15 games, according to Pro Football Reference. Despite being one of the most productive interior defenders in the NFL, Tuitt continues to fly well below the national media’s radar.

Tuitt just turned 28 years old this offseason – the same age Cameron Heyward was when he received his first Pro Bowl recognition back in 2017. Tuitt has been one of the most underappreciated players on this team for years, but he could finally reach the level of stardom he deserves in 2021.