Outside linebacker or edge rusher? That is the million-dollar question. For decades, the Pittsburgh Steelers have run some variation of a 3-4 base defense (three down linemen and four linebackers). But in recent years, these lines have been blurred, so much so that using the label 'outside linebacker' is no longer suitable. The Madden video game franchise is finally taking a step into the present to help bring clarity to this positional controversy.
On Wednesday, we learned that Madden NFL 26, the newest installment of the NFL video game, will include an 'edge' position in addition to adding positions like nose tackle and long snapper. This is something that has never existed in the franchise until now.
So why is this important?
We can continue to go along with the outdated positional terminology, but the misrepresentation of players irked football fans so much that they couldn't take it anymore. A plethora of complaints ultimately led to EA Sports making this change for their upcoming Madden 26 game.
Pittsburgh Steelers edge rushers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith will finally earn appropriate labels
Before adding 'edge' as a position on Madden, T.J. Watt was labeled as an LOLB (left outside linebacker). The problem was that he wasn't with his peers who operate under a similar role: to tee off on the quarterback and cause havoc in the backfield. Instead, Watt's questionable positional label left him categorized with off-ball linebackers like Chiefs' Leo Chenal and Lions' Malcolm Rodriguez (who are outside linebackers in a 4-3 base defense). These players have an entirely different role for their respective teams.
In the same way, Alex Highsmith has always been labeled as an ROLB (right outside linebacker). While Highsmith drops into coverage with a bit more frequency than Watt, this isn't even close to his primary purpose on the field. In Madden 25's player ratings, this outside linebacker label has Highsmith playing the same position as players like Buffalo's Matt Milano, Kansas City's Drue Tranquill, and Cincinnati's Logan Wilson.
Let me give an example that proves why this outdated labeling is no longer suitable. In 2024, T.J. Watt played 996 snaps on the defensive line and just four snaps in the box, per Pro Football Focus' charting. In comparison, Chenal played 287 snaps in the box, 208 on the defensive line, and 27 snaps at slot cornerback. Their roles aren't the same.
Furthermore, Trey Hendrickson played 823 total defensive snaps while dropping back off the line of scrimmage 36 times. The Bengals' star was on the defensive line for 819 snaps with just three snaps in the box. Likewise, of 1,002 total defensive snaps, Watt dropped back into coverage just 33 times (fewer than Hendrickson). Yet, Watt is labeled as an outside linebacker while Hendrickson is labeled as a defensive end. Make it make sense!
Watt is an edge rusher. Plain and simple. Don't overcomplicate it. The base defensive alignment has no bearing on his primary role, and he would be an 'edge' whether he played for a 3-4 or 4-3 team.
But it doesn't with a pair of Steelers edge rushers being mislabeled.
Half of the league's edge rushers are listed as defensive ends on Madden. This means that edge defenders like Myles Garrett and Trey Hendrickson were grouped together with guys like Cameron Heyward, Jeffery Simmons, and Derrick Brown.
There was a time when the 'outside linebacker' label was perfectly suited. The '90s Pittsburgh Steelers, like Greg Lloyd and Jason Gildon, played a true hybrid role between an edge rusher and an off-ball linebacker, making the label ideal. Even in the mid-to-late 2000s, James Harrison was closer to this than most of the players we see mislabeled today.
But now it's time to catch up with the times. We need to ditch the outdated labels like 'outside linebacker', 'defensive end', and 'inside linebacker' and move to labels that better represent a player's role and who they should be grouped with, such as 'edge rusher', 'interior defender', and 'off-ball linebacker'.
Madden's new changes could be a step toward properly labeling Pittsburgh Steelers edge rushers and NFL players under more appropriately categorized positional groups.