Heyward Fired Up

by Bo Marchionte

@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published September 18, 2025, 3:29 PM

Pittsburgh, PA – For decades, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has been the franchise’s trademark.

Fast, physical, and relentless.

But as the 2025 season unfolds, fans are struggling to reconcile that proud tradition with what they’re seeing on Sundays. A defense that ranks near the bottom of the league, missing tackles at an alarming rate and surrendering yards in bunches.

The numbers speak loudly. Throughout two weeks, Pittsburgh owns the highest missed tackle rate in football nearly one in five attempts. They rank 29th in total defense and 28th against the run, allowing over 30 points in each of their first two games (technically 24 in Week 2). For a unit that once prided itself on imposing its will, the slide has been difficult to watch, and the patience of Steelers Nation is beginning to run thin.

Inside the locker room, though, there’s no sense of panic. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has made it clear that this group’s problems aren’t the same as last year’s. He pointed out that while in 2024 the defense was “getting knocked around a little bit,” he doesn’t see that happening now. Instead, the issue is more about cohesion players not fully in sync, not yet playing as one. “We’re knocking people back,” Austin said, “we’re just not in the right spots.” He believes that as the season goes on, the group’s consistency will come, and with it, better results.

Veteran captain Cam Heyward echoed that belief in Austin’s leadership, noting that the coordinator has kept his message simple and consistent to improve communication, clean up execution, and trust the scheme.

“Our communication and execution’s gotta be a lot higher,” Heyward admitted, stressing that confusion on assignments has led to breakdowns in key situations.

Still, Heyward isn’t sugarcoating what needs to happen first. Until the Steelers stop the run, nothing else matters. Preparing for New England, he pointed to the Patriots’ three-headed backfield and rookie quarterback Drake Maye’s ability to extend plays as a test that will demand sharper tackling, stronger edges, and more discipline up front.

“Until we stop the run early,” Heyward said flatly, “we’re not gonna have a chance.”

On Thursday in Pittsburgh, that urgency was impossible to miss. Heyward was animated throughout practice, hyped during warmups, and demanding intensity from everyone in sight.

At one point, when I raised my phone to film, he barked, “Get that video out. Get it. Let’s get it!” It felt less like a veteran going through another practice, and more like a captain trying to shake his men awake and preparing them to get back on track defensively.

New England now offers the chance to prove otherwise. The words spoken after the Seattle loss Austin’s insistence that the group is close, Heyward’s urgency about shoring up the run defense, and the captain’s fiery energy on the practice field need to turn into action. Because if this defense doesn’t start matching its tradition with its play, the restlessness surrounding it won’t just grow louder, it will become impossible to ignore.

I know the reader is screaming on their phone reading this that this is the same verbiage they’ve read one thousand times over. Nonetheless, we can only quote what were told and try our best to explain what we see.

Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com