The Pittsburgh Steelers defense finished outside the top 10 in points allowed in 2025, the first time they have done that since the 2021 season. Part of that was due to a horrendous start to the season, where they allowed over 30 points four times in the first eight weeks of the season. Even though players like Cameron Heyward, Joey Porter Jr., and their trio of edge rushers (T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig) all played well, it was a disappointing season defensively.
2025 clearly hurt the reputation of the Steelers' star defenders, and that showed up in FanSided's top 50 NFL players list that recently dropped. Not a single Steelers player made an appearance on the list, not even Heyward, who earned second-team All-Pro honors. In fact, the only interior defender in the top 50 was Jeffrey Simmons, who certainly earned his No. 35 spot on the list.
While Heyward is the most obvious snub, there are a few other players from the Steel City who I think could have made the list.
Pittsburgh Steelers fail to see even one player make latest top 50 players list
Heyward's absence on the list is definitely hard to understand, even if his age suggests that his play will have to fall off at some point. With Simmons being the only IDL on the list, however, it's a little easier to excuse his lack of inclusion.
I would love to say that having T.J. Watt off the list is its own travesty, but he is no longer the Defensive Player of the Year candidate he was just a few seasons ago. All nine of the edge players who made the list are more impactful at this point than Watt, even if he is still a good player.
The other name worth considering for Pittsburgh is Porter Jr., who broke out in 2025 with a dominant season in coverage. He cut down on the penalties compared to 2024 (17 vs 9) and was one of the most physical, sticky cover players in the NFL. The corners who made the list are all great players, but I won't be surprised if Porter Jr. outplays at least a few of them in 2026 as he looks to earn a new contract.
Overall, I believe the Steelers have at least one top 50 player in Cam Heyward, and guys like Porter Jr. (and perhaps Nick Herbig?) could reach that level sooner rather than later. For now, though, it's their job to prove this list wrong.
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