Nothing is easy in the NFL. Every week brings new challenges, new storylines, and fresh opportunities for redemption. It’s what makes this league so addicting — the constant ebb and flow of triumph and adversity. Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers are no strangers to that roller coaster.
As they inch through the rising action of their 2025 campaign, the path has been anything but smooth. Injuries, inconsistent play, and frustrating lapses in focus have tested this team’s resolve.
At 4-3, Pittsburgh isn’t in a bad spot. But in a city where expectations are higher than the steel bridges that frame it, “not bad” isn’t good enough. Fans, analysts, and coaches alike know this roster was built for more — and they’ll need to prove it when they line up against a surging Indianapolis Colts team led by a quarterback who’s quietly putting together one of the league’s most efficient seasons.
That quarterback? Daniel Jones.
Yes, that Daniel Jones — the same one who was cast off from New York, labeled a disappointment, and left searching for a new start. Under head coach Shane Steichen, he’s found it. And he’s playing the best football of his career.
Through eight weeks, Jones ranks 11th in touchdown passes (13), second in quarterback rating (79.3), and fourth in total passing yards (2,062). Most impressively, he’s thrown just three interceptions.
It’s hard not to take notice — even for a coach like Mike Tomlin, who rarely hands out compliments freely.
“Daniel Jones has been spectacular in that space of taking care of the football,” Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday. “He’s distributing the ball to a rockstar group of eligibles that’s been together for a number of years.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers defense must shut down Daniel Jones in Week 9
Coming from Tomlin, that’s high praise.
But even as I listened, part of me couldn’t help but chuckle. Calling the Colts’ receiving corps “rockstars” might have been a bit generous — and in a way, it undersells what Jones himself has accomplished. Because what we’re witnessing isn’t a group of flashy playmakers carrying their quarterback; it’s a quarterback who has learned how to elevate the players around him.
And that’s dangerous.
The timing of Jones’ resurgence couldn’t be worse for Pittsburgh. Heading into Week 9, the Steelers’ defense ranks dead last in passing yards allowed per game (273.3). They’ve been gashed by quick passes, deep shots, and everything in between. Facing a confident quarterback like Jones, who’s thriving in a rhythm-based offense, could turn into a long night if the Steelers aren’t disciplined.
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Still, I can’t help but think this is exactly the kind of challenge Pittsburgh needs.
Sometimes the best way to rediscover your identity is to be tested by someone who’s found theirs. Daniel Jones is dialed in, but so can be the Steelers — when they play their brand of tough, focused football.
Mike Tomlin’s respect for Jones is telling. He sees in the Colts quarterback a reflection of what he wants his own team to become again: steady, self-assured, and accountable. And maybe, just maybe, that admiration will spark something in his locker room.
Because if Pittsburgh wants to remind the league who they are, they’ll have to earn it — one quarterback, one drive, one Sunday at a time.