Last season, when Pittsburgh Steelers OLB T.J. Watt went down with a torn pectoral, the team was ill-equipped to replace him, and it led to a lack of a successful pass rush and a 1-6 record sans the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin knows that he and the Steelers need to be better if Watt misses time again.
“We know what he is and that’s right, but we want to be better if that scenario happens to us again and we lose him for any stretch of time. I’ve gotta do a better job of getting guys in position to make some plays and doing some different things,” Austin told Mike Prisuta of WDVE via iHeart Radio Pittsburgh. “And I think that was a good learning experience for us last year to see where we came up short and what we have to do better. I want him on the field all the time, but I also have to be aware of when there’s a chance that, because of how violent this game is, that he may miss a game. He may miss a series. He may miss some time sometimes and we gotta adapt.”
While there are things Austin can do and the Steelers can do better scheme-wise, the talent component is a big part of things as well. Last year, Pittsburgh had Malik Reed, who was acquired at the end of training camp, and Jamir Jones as its primary backups at outside linebacker. Neither was able to make much of an impact and so improving their depth at the position was a clear focus this offseason.
Pittsburgh first drafted Nick Herbig out of Wisconsin in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and then turned around and signed veteran Markus Golden. Between Herbig and Golden, Austin thinks Pittsburgh is better prepared.
“I think we’ve bolstered ourselves with the addition of Markus, who’s really good,” he said. “And I think our young guys, I think Nick’s gonna help us because we have a couple guys we think can generate some pass rush.”
Watt influences all aspects of the game, but the pass rush was the biggest area where Pittsburgh was lost without him. Bringing in guys like Herbig and Golden — they have a history of rushing the passer well, Herbig in college and Golden in the NFL — should help the Steelers if Watt has to miss time again.
And by preparing for Watt missing time, it’s not any indication that Pittsburgh’s concerned about his injury history or worried that he won’t be the same type of player. It’s just the nature of football being a violent and physically taxing game that Watt may need to take a few plays off or even a game off to get his body right at some point throughout a season.
It’s unrealistic to expect him to play in every single game for the rest of his career, and sometimes as a coach you have to prepare for the worst-case scenario of your star playing missing time. That’s what Austin is doing.
Obviously, the Steelers are a different team with Watt on the field. No one is going to replicate what he can do in all facets of the game. But if the Steelers can minimize his loss with guys that can get to the quarterback, that’s going to be key. Whether it’s on talent alone, or a stunt or something that Austin calls for, however the Steelers can do it, it’s going to be crucial they do in the event they lose Watt, or even Alex Highsmith or Cameron Heyward or another key member of the defense for any amount of time.
Ideally, though, the disaster scenario of losing Watt again doesn’t come into play and the Steelers enjoy another successful season with the five-time Pro Bowler playing as many snaps as possible. That’s not always reality though, and it’s good that Austin at least has a plan in place.
