The Pittsburgh Steelers have once again built their identity around physical defense and veteran leadership, grinding through the first half of the 2025 season with familiar toughness.
While the offense continues to search for consistent rhythm, the defense has carried the load -- headlined by one of the game’s all-time greats still playing at an elite level.
With the season halfway complete, here’s a look at the Steelers’ Midseason Awards, spotlighting their MVP, Best Rookie Pick, and Most Disappointing Player so far.
Pittsburgh Steelers Midseason Award winners
Team MVP: EDGE T.J. Watt
There’s simply no overstating the impact of Watt on the Steelers’ defense -- or on the franchise as a whole.
At 31 years old and in his ninth NFL season, Watt remains one of the most dominant and disruptive pass rushers in football. Through nine games, he’s logged 28 total pressures, six sacks, and a forced fumble, including one that swung momentum in Week 9 against the then 7-1 Colts.
Regardless of how offenses prepare -- double teams, chips, or by sliding protections -- Watt’s motor and technique make him impossible to neutralize for an entire game.
And he's not just productive; he’s the standard. His relentlessness sets the tone for the entire defensive unit, and it’s contagious -- helping players like Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, and even third-year 1-tech Keeanu Benton in their approach on passing downs.
In an era where production and leadership rarely coexist so perfectly, Watt continues to deliver both. His consistency, versatility, and sheer presence make him the easy choice as the Steelers’ Midseason MVP.
Best Rookie Pick: EDGE Jack Sawyer
The Steelers’ 2025 rookie class hasn’t been overflowing with instant impact players, but the fourth-round pick in Sawyer has shown promising signs early.
Taken 123rd overall out of the NFL pipeline that is Ohio State, Sawyer has quietly carved out a role in Pittsburgh’s defensive rotation, appearing in eight games, amassing nine pressures, a sack, three quarterback hits, and five hurries. He also hauled in his first interception in Week 9 against the Colts.
At 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, Sawyer brings the type of size and discipline the Steelers value in their edge defenders. He’s already proven reliable on early downs, playing with sound leverage and hand usage, even if he lacks the explosive twitch of teammates like Watt or Herbig.
But what makes Sawyer’s early success significant is his opportunity to develop under some of the league’s best pass rushers. Learning from veterans such as Watt and Highsmith will accelerate his growth, and his fundamentally solid play suggests that he’ll soon become a fixture in Pittsburgh’s defensive plans.
Most Disappointing Player: RB Kaleb Johnson
Typically, the Steelers’ most disappointing midseason player is a veteran who hasn’t met expectations -- but this year, it’s a rookie. A former standout at Iowa, Johnson, who was drafted 83rd overall, entered 2025 with high hopes after the team let Najee Harris walk in the offseason.
Pittsburgh expected Johnson to take over as its next bell-cow back, but through nine weeks, he’s been a relative non-factor.
Johnson has appeared in only five games, totaling 15 carries for 40 yards and a single reception for just nine yards. He saw just one touch in Week 9 against Indy and has fallen behind both Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell in the backfield rotation.
Some of that stems from injury and adjustment, but the lack of impact has been glaring. For a player drafted to energize the run game, Johnson has yet to show the burst, vision, or confidence that defined his college success.
At this point, it’s about proving he belongs in the rotation.
Mike Tomlin’s message has always been clear -- nothing is given in Pittsburgh; everything must be earned, and if Johnson wants to reclaim the role envisioned for him, he’ll need to show a stronger command of the offense and take advantage of every snap he gets in the second half of the campaign.