The guys getting the interceptions often get a lot of the praise for the big plays, but usually there are some big guys up front who contribute to an errant throw. In the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 1 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, that player was DT Larry Ogunjobi.
“I think the unsung hero, I thought Larry Ogunjobi had a lot of great pressures that were critical to turnovers,” Cameron Heyward told reporters after the Steelers’ 18-10 win in a video posted by Steelers Live on X. “Just having that balance up front and on the back end, we could create some splash plays.”
Ogunjobi played a big part in both of the Steelers’ interceptions. You could argue that he was the primary reason that both of those game-changing plays happened.
Below is the first interception in the first quarter. The Falcons were approaching the middle of the field on 2nd and 1 and coming off a 12-play field goal drive to open the game. Their offense appeared to be in rhythm, but the interception put that to an end. Watch as Ogunjobi works inside, rips under his man and into QB Kirk Cousins’ chest. That pressure forced a quick decision by Cousins that resulted in DeShon Elliott’s interception.
In the fourth quarter, when the game was in crunch time with the Steelers leading by five with just under three minutes left on the clock, Ogunjobi bull-rushed the offensive lineman to collapse the pocket. There was pressure coming from all sides, but Ogunjobi’s pressure up the middle prevented Cousins from stepping into his throw and allowed Donte Jackson to snag the game-sealing interception.
If there is one player on the Steelers who needed to step up this year, it was Larry Ogunjobi. Many, including myself, were worried about the defensive line this year. Cameron Heyward is aging and coming off an injury-plagued season and Ogunjobi has failed to live up to his contract over his first two years in Pittsburgh. This left many wondering about his future with the team at such a high salary.
Ogunjobi signed a three-year extension prior to the 2023 season worth $28.75 million. He has the third-highest cap number on the team, so his emergence would mean big things for the defensive line and the defense overall.
Ogunjobi has dealt with injuries over his first two seasons in Pittsburgh. They didn’t limit his availability, but they did limit his effectiveness. This was his first full offseason of being healthy, and that appears to be paying dividends for him.
The early indications in 2024 are very positive. After a solid preseason performance in limited reps, Ogunjobi followed it up by being one of the best defensive players in the Steelers’ regular-season opener. Good on Heyward for highlighting Ogunjobi as the unsung hero of today’s win.
