The Pittsburgh Steelers have no shortage of issues to address near the halfway point of the 2025 season, but nothing compares to the disappointing defense. This unit has allowed 924 yards, 68 points, and 49 first downs over their last two games while struggling to get quick pressure and to bring down the ball carrier after the catch.
All of this has resulted in having the 30th-ranked team defense entering Week 9. Considering this is the most expensive defensive unit in the NFL, they haven't come close to living up to expectations in 2025.
Next to the only the Washington Commanders, the Steelers have the oldest defense in the NFL, per ESPN's Bill Barnwell. Their lack of speed and recovery ability shows up on the all-22 film.
But Pittsburgh's defensive struggles are even more egregious when you consider that they are refusing to play their best young splash playmakers.
The Pittsburgh Steelers must let their young defensive playmakers see a bigger role
It's no secret how much Nick Herbig has been shortchanged this season by head coach Mike Tomlin and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. Herbig leads the NFL in pass rush win rate at 34 percent, per ESPN Analytics.
However, since having the best game of his career against the Cleveland Browns in Week 6, Herbig has seen his defensive snaps decrease in each of the past three games—falling from 50 snaps to 29 in Week 7 and just 24 in Week 8.
Unfortunately, Herbig isn't the only young Steelers splash defensive playmaker this team is refusing to use. According to TrueMedia, 2025 fourth-round pick Jack Sawyer leads all rookies in splash play percentage (12.5 percent), while Derrick Harmon ranks fifth among all rookies (9.9 percent).
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What's depressing is that, instead of playing more as the season goes on, just like Herbig, Sawyer, and Harmon are playing less.
Over the past three weeks, Sawyer's snaps have plummeted from 24 to 11 to 2, while Harmon—Pittsburgh's first-round defensive lineman—saw his snaps drop from 48 to 43 to 35 during the same span.
The Pittsburgh Steelers look old and slow on defense. Their lack of speed and explosion has been costing them big time. Tomlin and Austin keep refusing to play their young splash playmakers, and that needs to end immediately.