Thanks to a dominant start to the season, two Pittsburgh Steelers were named to Pro Football Focus’ Midseason All-Pro Team Wednesday afternoon.
That would be standout defensive lineman and team captain Cameron Heyward and star outside linebacker T.J. Watt. The pair has helped the Steelers improve to 6-2 on the season, entering the Week 9 bye week.
Within that 6-2 mark, the Steelers’ defense has been one of the best in the league, leading the Steelers to a +10 turnover mark while also limiting opponents to the second-fewest points scored per game.
The two were among seven players from the AFC North who landed on PFF’s Midseason All-Pro team.
For Heyward, it’s vindication after the franchise icon came into the 2024 season with a point to prove, silencing the doubters who felt he would fall off a cliff with his level of play after dealing with injuries last season.
Instead, Heyward has been a dominant force, arguably the best defensive lineman in football.
“The 35-year-old Heyward isn’t slowing down. He boasts 80.0-plus PFF grades in pass rushing and run defense as arguably the best player at the position in the league,” PFF’s Gordon McGuinness writes regarding Heyward.
With a new contract in hand just days before the start of his 14th season in the NFL, Heyward has been worth every single penny, which isn’t a surprise. He’s been a dominant run defender and is back at the level he once was as a pass rusher, collapsing the pocket and making plays.
On the season, Heyward has 29 total pressures and 3.0 sacks. According to PFF, he also has 21 run stops and currently holds a grade of 91.0 overall, including an 84.4 run defense and an 87.9 pass rush grade.
Even at 35 years old and in a physically demanding position, nobody is doing it better than Heyward.
Then, of course, there’s Watt.
Watt was joined by Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson as the Midseason All-Pro EDGE defender.
“Watt’s pressure numbers weren’t anything special heading into Monday Night Football in Week 8, but his PFF grading profile showed that he was still dominating as a pass-rusher,” McGuinness writes regarding Watt’s selection. “His effort paid off in the form of a season-high six pressures against the Giants.”
Watt has had to deal with chips and double teams all season, which has hindered his ability to get to the quarterback consistently. But there is no denying his ability to impact games and make that one crucial play in key moments to change outcomes.
It occurred on Monday night against the Giants, too, though Giants’ RT Jermaine Eluemunor continues to deny everything.
At this point in his career, with his resume and tendency to make those crucial plays, it’s not luck. It’s a true skill. He is a dominant force and continues to prove it time and time again.
So far this season, Watt has 22 pressures, 6.5 sacks, a league-high four forced fumbles, and two fumbles recoveries. Even with all of the attention teams are paying him throughout games, he still finds ways to impact games. He’s the best pass rusher in the NFL, period.
The midseason All-Pro team from PFF is a good start. It’s very likely that Watt will get another All-Pro honor at the end of the season, too.
