Earlier in the week, we examined four stats the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense must improve in 2025. Today, we’ll do the same with the Steelers’ defense. Stats the team must improve by the time next season is through.
Hurry Percentage – 5.8 percent (29th)
Not only did Pittsburgh’s sack totals wane last season, so did the team’s hurry rate. Per Pro Football Reference, the Steelers’ defense finished near the bottom in terms of how often opposing quarterbacks felt the heat, ranking 29th with a sub-six-percent hurry rate. That isn’t how Pittsburgh wins.
That number is even more alarming considering Pittsburgh’s blitz rate. Though lower than in previous years, PFR ranked the Steelers 12th in blitz percentage last season. An above-average blitz rate coupled with a bottom-four hurry rate are numbers that don’t match. Staying healthy at outside linebacker is important, and Pittsburgh had early-season injuries last year. It’s why the team drafted Jack Sawyer in the fourth round to give strong depth top to bottom.
Pittsburgh’s hurry rate was 6.9 percent in 2023. That should be the minimum bar the defense returns to in 2025.
Interceptions From Safeties (3)
Overall, Pittsburgh’s defense was its usual ball-hawking self last season and tied for the league lead with 33 takeaways. But the safety group didn’t always do their part. Combined, Pittsburgh’s safeties registered just three interceptions. Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeShon Elliott, and Damontae Kazee had one apiece.
Fitzpatrick is the most notable, lacking splash after being a ball-hawk prior to 2023. There’s a healthy debate about quarterbacks avoiding him, and he still had value as a center field stopper and solid tackler, but he’s got to be itching to get back to his pick-happy ways in 2025. Elliott isn’t known for his ball skills, but another pick wouldn’t hurt, while veteran Juan Thornhill finding his hand on a football or two would be beneficial.
Getting at least five interceptions from the safety group has to be the goal. Preferably, something approaching seven or eight.
Sacks From D-Line Not Named Cam Heyward (4.5)
Normally, I don’t like to fracture statistics like this. The “trick” of “if you take away this part of the data, the stats look bad!” Cam Heyward remains a Steeler and should still play well in 2025. He’s also 36 and the Steelers can’t count on him to do all the heavy lifting.
Heyward recorded eight sacks last season, meaning he nearly doubled the rest of the group. No other Steelers’ defensive lineman had more than 1.5. Larry Ogunjobi had 1.5, Keeanu Benton one, Montravius Adams one, and Dean Lowry one. Ogunjobi and Adams are gone, and Lowry is doubtful to make the 53. Change here was needed, but the numbers still have to change. Derrick Harmon will play immediate, meaningful snaps, and Benton, a talented pass rusher, has to finish plays. He has just two sacks in two years. Simply not good enough.
4th Down Defense – 68.2 percent (29th)
Pittsburgh’s third-down defense took a lot of heat, but it was a bright spot. They were even serviceable on third-and-long despite the narrative against it (they finished 13th when opponents faced 3rd and 7-plus).
Fourth down? A different, much worse story. Opponents converted 15-of-22 attempts on the year. Of their final 14 attempts, opposing offenses converted 11 times. That’s a success rate of 78.5 percent. Pittsburgh’s defense has to tighten up and win in those big-time moments, and it took away the sheen of how successful they were stopping teams on third down.
