Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Jack Sawyer during a game against the Detroit Lions on Dec. 21, 2025. — Ed Thompson
During a recent appearance on The Christian Kuntz Podcast, Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Jack Sawyer reflected on his rookie season with the Black and Gold.
“Once you get in the swing of it, like playing, man. I love ball so much that I think, for me, it’s fun when you’re playing games and constantly game planning. And you got a game on Sunday, Monday, getting competitive and obviously making the playoffs was great,” Sawyer said.
Sawyer finished the season with three splash plays — two interceptions and a strip sack. The strip sack came in the Steelers’ Wild Card round playoff loss to the Houston Texans.
Late the first quarter, Sawyer came off the edge and stripped the ball from Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. Black was right there to recover the loose ball.
The Texans tried to trick the Steelers with a flea-flicker but Sawyer was not fooled. Sawyer’s heads up play possibly saved a touchdown, as a Texans receiver was open downfield.
“Getting to see what that atmosphere was like was awesome. Stadium was rocking, obviously it got away from us at the end,” Sawyer said. “My grade for myself, I give myself like a B- minus, C-plus. I think I got a lot of room to grow. I think I started to come on a little bit late in the year, getting comfortable.”
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Jack Sawyer at training camp on Aug. 3, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin gave Sawyer a ringing endorsement during his weekly press conference ahead of the team’s Week 16 game against the Detroit Lions.
“Jack is doing what a lot of young, quality defenders do: They make the best with what you ask them to do, and they work in all areas and get better,” Tomlin said. “Usually those that are playmakers on special teams eventually become playmakers on defense, and he’s certainly been that for us. He’s made some plays on teams. He made some plays on teams last night. And so, I’m never surprised when they transfer that playmaking to the defensive side when they get more opportunities to do so. He’s had some opportunities this year, has made some plays, has had a sack, has had an interception, and so I wouldn’t be surprised if he displays that readiness if he gets an expanded role opportunity this week.”
Sawyer hopes he can build off his promising rookie campaign.
“I think this year was fun. It was really good. I think first coming into the NFL, you never know how it’s gonna be,” Sawyer said. Honestly, it was great with the guys we got in the locker room. I think I hit on that last time. Long season coming off the natty and training. I feel like you never stopped for about two years straight. So that was kind of tough in its own right. I hit the rookie wall like day four of fall camp [training camp].”
Sawyer revealed that former special teams coach Danny Smith played a part in his welcome to the NFL moment.
“I get up after one of them, because I’ve never played special teams. So running that month, Danny working me. I’m gonna miss Danny. Danny was awesome, he was great to me. But man, he was working us,” Sawyer said. “We’re taking every rep. I wake up on day four and I can’t even move. I’m like, ‘I gotta go in the training room and get right.’”
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