Much to the chagrin of Pittsburgh Steelers fans, the highest-paid defense in the NFL has had its share of struggles in the 2025 season. The defensive backfield, which seemed well-built to be the strength of the team, has undergone numerous changes throughout the campaign.
That presented James Pierre with a fresh opportunity that has worked surprisingly well. Pierre, a sixth-year player for Pittsburgh, has long been a staple on special teams rather than defense, where he had struggled more often than not.
Pierre has been in the starting lineup for each of the past four games, putting some of his best work at cornerback on tape in the process. Naturally, the least surprised individual by that revelation is head coach Mike Tomlin.
Mike Tomlin reflects on James Pierre’s long road to earning trust with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Tomlin was asked about Pierre’s productive run over the past few weeks and explained why he isn’t surprised that Pierre has unlocked some of his hidden potential.
“It’s him. Ask any of his teammates,” Tomlin said. “He has unwavering belief in himself. He’s an unbelievable professional. He’s tough-minded, he’s physically tough. He’s willing to do anything and everything. He’s earned everything he’s gotten in this business.”
Tomlin noted that Pierre was an undrafted free agent in 2020, a tough scenario for any rookie, let alone a 24-year-old out of Florida Atlantic.
“The tough road is not something that’s new to him,” Tomlin said. “I just think that he’s played it up mentally, and I just think it’s an asset to him and us.”
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This is the longest streak as a starter for Pierre in his career. The last time he started at least four games was in 2021, his second season. Then, he allowed 60% of passes in his coverage area to be completed for a career-high 458 yards and four touchdowns.
This season, Pierre has allowed just 42.9% of passes heading his way to be completed and hasn’t surrendered a touchdown yet. So far, Pierre is trending toward career-best marks in yards per completion allowed (8.7), yards per target (3.7), and quarterback rating (41.4). His completion percentage allowed, yards per target, and quarterback rating all rank second in the league.
Pierre had to step up with Jalen Ramsey moving to free safety full-time and Darius Slay not working out. Even with Asante Samuel, Jr., on the roster, Pierre has played well enough to keep him at bay for now. If he can continue to play at this level, he may be positioning himself for a long-term starting role on this defense. Quite the journey for a player who was released from Pittsburgh on three separate occasions, including ahead of this campaign.