‘Hungry To Get Better’: Heyward Preaches Patience With Benton Amid Struggles

Through the first two weeks of the season, the run defense for the Pittsburgh Steelers has been concerning.

At the center of the Steelers’ run defense issues is third-year nose tackle Keeanu Benton. He’s playing somewhat out of position, considering his skillset and style of play. Still, he’s the nose tackle in the Steelers’ base defense, and other teams have pushed him around with ease.

Benton isn’t the only issue with the Steelers’ run defense early, but he’s the target for the moment. 

Steelers’ team captain and standout defensive lineman Cameron Heyward, who spoke to reporters Thursday, said Benton is a young player who is still growing and learning the nuances of the position.

“Still growing. Who says you have to be a finished product in year three?” Heyward said of Benton, according to video via Steelers.com. “We all gotta get better. I think he’s hungry to get better.”

Coming into the season, expectations were high for Benton. He was entering his third lap around the track in the NFL, had transformed his body even further to better suit him for nose tackle, and had more than 1,100 career snaps in the NFL.

The first two weeks of the season have been anything but good for Benton, though. Granted, he suffered an injury before the start of the season and has been playing through an injury, but that hasn’t excused his inability to hold up against the run.

According to Pro Football Focus, Benton has a grade of 55.2 overall, including a 46.5 against the run. Still, he has a 71.0 overall grade rushing the passer with three pressures generated. The run defense is the biggest issue, though, and it’s led to many wondering if the Steelers would be better suited taking him off of nose tackle in place of rookie Yahya Black. 

The Steelers aren’t there yet. But Benton’s level of play is concerning.

Fortunately, he’s in a defensive line room with Heyward. The defensive stalwart can be a sounding board and a good example of how to persevere and play well. Heyward can try to give him the answers, but it’s up to Benton to take the next step.

“I’ll give him the book, but it’s a lot to read. I think he can take stuff from a lot of people’s careers. Javon Hargrave, Stefon Tuitt, Tyson Alualu, guys I really had a chance to play with and learned a lot from,” Heyward said of helping Benton. “It’s not always gonna be perfect. You gotta have these moments where you’re struggling a little bit so you can come out on the other side and remember these times and say, ‘no, I can’t do this because of those situations.’

“So, he’s definitely ahead of the game in my regard because when I first got here, I didn’t play my first two years. So, he has got a lot of experience, but it’s got to pay off.”

There’s still plenty of hope for Benton. He’s a young piece who flashed early in his career. He’s in a tough spot right now, though, and things aren’t going well. One report from Post-Gazette insider Gerry Dulac indicates that some within the organization believe he’s regressed. 

That’s not hard to see. But now it’s about going through the adversity, rebounding, and returning to the level of play he showed in his first two seasons. The talent is there. He needs to find the consistency.