For nearly two decades, the Pittsburgh Steelers have lived in the margins -- hovering at .500, fighting through physical battles late in the year, and maintaining a level of organizational consistency under Mike Tomlin matched by few across the league.
But consistency has not yielded postseason success. The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016, and every trip since -- from the Jaguars in 2017, to the Browns in 2020, to last year’s loss to Baltimore -- has ended the same way: not enough pressure, not enough disruption, not enough impact plays when they mattered most.
If Pittsburgh is going to claw its way into the postseason this fall -- currently sitting at .500 and slotted ninth in a crowded AFC -- they will need to lean into the one identity that has always given them a chance: a game-dictating pass rush led by T.J. Watt.
T.J. Watt must return to his dominant ways for the Steelers to return to playoff relevance
This year, that responsibility is heavier than ever. Watt remains the heart of the Steelers’ operation, a violent, unpredictable, relentlessly technical pass rusher whose presence alone distorts protections.
He commands double-teams. He forces tight ends to stay in and chip. He makes offensive coordinators script entire passing downs away from him. And with Pittsburgh needing every edge in a postseason race defined by razor-thin margins, Watt is the player who changes the geometry of the field.
But it can't be a solo act.
The Steelers’ ability to create consistent pressure depends on the ecosystem around him. Alex Highsmith continues to be one of the most underrated edge defenders in football, winning through speed-to-power and back-door counters.
Nick Herbig brings twitch and motor as a rotational spark. Rookie Jack Sawyer has flashed the length and leverage to become a long-term problem for offensive tackles. And on the interior, Keeanu Benton is emerging as a pocket-compressor, while Cam Heyward, even in the later stages of his career, remains a stabilizing force in the middle.
The wildcard is Payton Wilson, the rangy, explosive linebacker whose blitz versatility -- A-gap, B-gap, scraping outside, or attacking late as a green-dog blitzer -- adds unpredictability to Pittsburgh’s pressure packages. When Wilson times it up, it feels like an extra edge rusher appearing out of thin air.
Still, though, everything loops back to Watt. When he wins early, the whole front accelerates. When he forces errant throws, the secondary benefits. When he collapses pockets, Pittsburgh’s defense becomes something closer to the disruptive, suffocating unit Tomlin has long envisioned.
If the Steelers want to break their postseason drought and mount any kind of January run, the blueprint isn't complicated on the defensive side of the ball. It begins -- and often ends -- with Watt dictating terms on every down.