The Pittsburgh Steelers were supposed to have one of the best defensive units in the league during the 2024 NFL season, and for most of the year, they did. The defense was the highest-paid group in the NFL, so the expectations were sky-high. They unfortunately fell apart during a five-game losing streak to end the 2024 campaign. Had the defense lived up to its expectations, Pittsburgh likely would have been able to be competitive in a playoff game, but that was not the case once again.

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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan speaks to members of the media during a press conference at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, IN.

The Steelers rely on their defense more than any other team in the NFL. There is no way Pittsburgh is able to have any success without the defense playing well, so when the unit fell apart at the end of the year, it was obvious the Steelers had no chance once the playoffs rolled around. The Steelers have some holes to fill defensively through the 2025 NFL Draft and free agency, and General Manager Omar Khan spoke to the media on Tuesday at the NFL Combine. Khan talked about the defense, as the Steelers are set to have the highest paid defensive unit once again in 2025.

Pittsburgh’s defensive players and defensive coaches were under fire after the way the 2024 season ended. It is embarrassing to dump so many resources into one side of the ball just for that group to play below-average football during its most crucial moments. The Steelers were essentially blown out in the playoffs while facing a divisional rival in the Baltimore Ravens, and Pittsburgh was not competitive against any of the top-tier teams they faced to end the regular season.

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Steelers’ Mike Tomlin ahead of a 2024 home game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Defensive struggles can also be a product of a poor offense. If an offense struggles to pick up first downs and move the ball down the field consistently, then the defense is constantly being put in a bad position. No first downs for an offense means the defense has less time to rest on the sidelines, while it also means the offense failed to gain any yards, which is important for field position.

The Steelers need to find a way to play balanced football in 2025, especially since the team will be having the highest-paid defense once again. An offense that can be consistently competent is vital to the success of this franchise, and if Khan can put that together, then the defense will improve drastically next season.

Steelers’ Defense Showed Concerning Habits To End The 2024 Season

There were multiple instances late in the 2024 season where some defenders on the defense for the Steelers seemed to just quit. Pittsburgh faced a lot of larger deficits in the last quarter of the regular season, and some players on the defense definitely gave less of an effort once the game got out of reach.

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Steelers’ Cameron Sutton makes a tackle against the Ravens in a Wild Card matchup in 2025.

Pittsburgh also had many communication issues on the defense as well. Players called this out, but the issue never seemed to get completely solved. Fans were calling for Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin‘s job after the year ended, but he will be returning in 2025. Head Coach Mike Tomlin is also considered a defensive head coach, yet he can’t get his star-studded defense to perform when it matters lately. This was a troubling issue to watch as the 2024 season came to a close, but hopefully Tomlin and Austin figure out how to do their jobs more efficiently before the 2025 season rolls around.