With the Christmas season officially here, there are a lot of reasons to be celebrating as a Steelers fan this year. Despite a long stretch of mediocre play, this team finally looks like a legitimate contender and is playing at a high level. This team had an unprecedented amount of uncertainty a year ago but has found a way not only to win but to slowly become a legitimate contender this year.
Even with the good performance and feel-good stories, there are a handful of players that have left me wanting more. While these players haven't necessarily been bad, there are core issues in their game that have deterred them from reaching their highest potential. These five players deserve a lump of coal this season because of it, as they should be on the team's naughty list.
On the Steelers naughty list: Broderick Jones
Reason for the coal: Uncertain future
Broderick Jones was supposed to be the lynchpin of this offensive line for years to come and signify a new era for the unit. A high-upside player coming out of college, the Steelers traded up for him in the draft with the hopes that he would be their left tackle of the future. Instead, they have played him mostly at right tackle, and while they are deserving of some blame for his struggles, he certainly hasn’t lived up to the billing of a first-round pick.
His play has gotten better this season, but that was a relatively low bar to clear. The real issue comes from the fact that he has been soundly behind veteran Dan Moore in terms of play quality all season. With Moore likely playing elsewhere in 2025, this leaves the tackle room as a big question mark.
Sure, we all expect Jones to finally move to left tackle and for Troy Fautanu to take over at right tackle, but with Jones play being as bad as it has been, the team will have to bring in a capable swing tackle to compete with him. He can still turn things around, but making the tackle room still look like a mess despite back-to-back first-round tackles being added puts Jones on the naughty list this year.
On the Steelers naughty list: Joey Porter Jr.
Reason for the coal: Constant penalties
It hasn’t been the breakout season that many expected it would be for Joey Porter. The former second-round pick looked elite as a rookie, and the expectation was for him to clean up some mechanical issues and his tendency to grab receivers on routes and make a legitimate push to be viewed as a top cornerback in only his second year.
None of that has really happened, and in terms of penalties, Porter has seen a harsh regression. While he has stretches of clean play, he has also seen some games where he racks up an obscene amount of pass interference calls because of his grabby nature. This has been a killer to the defense as they need to overcome his mistakes.
His actual coverage hasn’t been bad, although I would argue he is playing a tick under how he did as a rookie, but when you add in the penalties it is hard to watch him play. Add in his response to said penalties, essentially citing that the league is targeting him, and you have to feel disappointed in his second season. Like Jones, there is plenty of time to turn things around, but it hasn’t been the breakout season we all wanted from Porter.
On the Steelers naughty list: Patrick Queen
Reason for the coal: Looking like an overpay
There was a lot of celebration and fanfare when the Steelers signed rival Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen last offseason. The team hadn’t possessed elite linebacker play since Ryan Shazier, and Queen had come into his own over the last few years. So much so that Pittsburgh gave him the largest free-agent contract in team history.
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Queen has yet to live up to that billing. His first few games were rough, but you could chalk that up to playing in a new scheme and a new city. His play did improve, but he still has far too many ups and downs as a starter, and his game has lacked a lot of splash plays that you would want in a highly paid linebacker.
One could argue that he is only the third-best linebacker on the team. Elandon Roberts is a feisty player who makes his presence felt while rookie Payton Wilson has developed down the stretch. Queen is owed a lot of money next season, and I’m not sure if he has earned it, putting him squarely on the naughty list this year.
On the Steelers naughty list: Minkah Fitzpatrick
Reason for the coal: Justifying costs
When the Steelers initially traded for Minkah Fitzpatrick, he quickly established himself as an elite player for this defense. The team had lacked a capable center-field guy for years, and Fitzpatrick was a perfect fit. He was a treat to take the ball away on any pass and he coupled that with sound coverage and excellent tackling, making him one of the best safeties in the league.
Things have changed over the past few years though. For starters, the safety market has cratered. We have seen free agency flooded with capable starters who sign for peanuts as teams just aren’t interested in paying safeties extremely high. Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, has struggled to replicate the splash plays over the past few seasons.
You could look past that when he was playing great elsewhere, but this season has seen too many missed tackles, and his overall coverage regressed from years past. No, he isn’t a bad player, but he isn’t playing at an elite level despite being paid like an elite player. The team needs to seriously look at his contract this offseason, which unfortunately earns him a chunk of coal this year.
On the Steelers naughty list: George Pickens
Reason for the coal: To ink or not to ink
George Pickens is a player who is defined by two things. His play on the field is amazing, filled with highlight-reel catches and big plays. He has developed into a better route runner every year, and he has become so much more than just a jump-ball option. He looks like a legitimate elite receiver most weeks when he gets the chance to make plays.
On the other hand, Pickens's attitude is far too immature and it has cost the team. From on-the-field antics turning into penalties (penalties that often negate big plays) to the poor interviews filled with material for the other team to use, Pickens is a bit of a head case. You need his talent for the offense to produce, but he can also cost the team gravely.
Ahead of a likely new contract next year, the Steelers have a tough choice to make. Pay him at an elite level despite these issues, or trade him and lose out on one of the brightest young receivers in the league. All I wanted was for Pickens to clean up his antics slightly so this wouldn’t be an issue, but there isn’t a clear best choice right now, making him deserving of a lump of coal this year.