The Steelers have the highest-paid defense in the NFL by a wide margin. With as many stars as they have on that side of the football, there are plenty of expectations for this unit. Those expectations are so high that Steelers reporter Jeff Hathhorn thinks it’s a failure if this defense isn’t one of the best in the league.
“[Juan Thornhill] brings super energy,” Hathhorn said Friday on 93.7 The Fan on Friday. “I don’t think he actually meant they were gonna be the greatest defense of all time. He’s just excited about it. Now, if this defense isn’t top five in the league, it’s a failure. I think the depth on the defense is in a place where it hasn’t been in a long time.”
Hathhorn is referencing safety Juan Thornhill, who earlier this week said this could be the best defense of all time. Now, that’s a lofty goal, and probably unreasonable. There’s a number of outstanding defenses across NFL history, including some impeccable units in Pittsburgh that this Steelers team would have to beat. However, Thornhill’s words do show that the defense understands the expectations placed upon it.
Whether the Steelers’ defense can live up to that remains to be seen. But there’s plenty of reason to believe it can. There’s talent across the starting lineup, and the only real question mark in the starting 11 is at safety. There, DeShon Elliott had a terrific year in 2024, one that earned him a contract extension. Starting alongisde him will be either Thornhill or Chuck Clark. However, even those two have had success in their respective careers before their struggles over the last two seasons.
Pittsburgh’s biggest weakness last year was the interior of its defense line. They worked to fix that with several rookies, including Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black and Jack Sawyer. Each of those three is impressing in camp so far, a sign that the Steelers may have turned one of their biggest weaknesses into potentially one of the strongest parts of their roster.
It’s hard not to be excited about a defense with names like T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, Patrick Queen and DeShon Elliott. And those players are supplemented by youth across the unit. The Steelers’ defense expects to help carry this team into playoff contention. If the league’s highest-paid defense doesn’t play like it, it’s reasonable to consider it a failure.