The Pittsburgh Steelers' season is almost officially underway, and the anticipation of the first snap has us fans in agony. Focus has justifiably shifted to who’s playing in week one, as well as what storylines there are to follow.
And if you haven’t had the chance to hear it, defensive lineman Keeanu Benton is already setting the tone for the year.
In a recent interview, Benton was asked about the differences between the Steelers' run defense this year and last year. His response? “We’re down to get grimy.” This was a simple yet poetic way to set the tone for the year.
‘We’re down to get grimy’ DL Keeanu Benton on difference w #Steelers run stop this year pic.twitter.com/UfdnkqWEID
— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) September 3, 2025
Based on the overarching chances this offseason to the defensive line, getting grimier in week one appears to be a realistic goal.
The Pittsburgh Steelers need to take heed of what Keeanu Benton is saying
Defense has been the pride of this Steelers team in recent years, with a lot of investment in the room in the hopes that it would make up for a lackluster offense. However, the unit didn’t pull its weight last year. This was evident when they literally got run over by the Ravens in the playoffs.
This led to some key changes. Starter Larry Ogunjobi was cut while the team invested in some new faces, those specifically being rookies Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black, as well as veteran Daniel Ekuale.
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Harmon won’t be getting grimy in week one, as his knee injury is holding off his regular-season debut. However, the other two names could play a key role.
Ekuale is an experienced defender who shines against the run. He is happy to do the dirty work for a defense, even if the accolades end up going elsewhere. As a veteran, he is the favorite to start in place of Harmon even though he saw snaps exclusively at nose tackle in the offseason.
Black is cut from a similar cloth. He used his size to take up space at Iowa. Like a dancing bear, he would use his strength to win regularly and disrupt plays. He shined in the preseason and looks to carry that forward into the regular season.
And that belly rub? What could be grimier than that?
Benton is working on setting the tone early for this Steelers defense against the run. It won’t be flashy or eye-catching. Instead, this group is ready to play rough and dominate by any means necessary.