The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2025 defense didn’t live up to its self-billed high expectations. Now, a new coaching staff will look to repair and improve the unit. There’s a long list of areas where the defense can improve, but there are four stats in particular that are worth cleaning up. If corrected, the defense has a good chance to take a big jump in 2026.

These stats are collective, not individual. Here are the four to fix.

1. Third Down Defense: 41.5 percent (25th league-wide)

It was no secret how poor Pittsburgh’s third-down defense was last year. The unit wasn’t just white-knuckling it on third-and-long, which was the common complaint. In fact, from a league ranking perspective, the team was worse in short-and-medium situations. The breakdown.

Pittsburgh’s Third Down Defense, 2025:

3rd & 1-6: 53.7 percent (19th)
3rd and 7+: 25.5 percent (18th)

No matter how you slice it, the defense wasn’t good enough at getting off the field. Combined, the Steelers were a lowly 25th on third down. A steep drop from finishing second in the league a year ago, and Pittsburgh’s worst finish since placing 28th in 2009.

2. First Drive Scoring: 8 scoring drives allowed (tied-19th league-wide)

Pittsburgh wasn’t a fast-starting team on either side of the ball. Offensive woes got the attention, but the Steelers have been ugly on defense the past two years. In 2024 and 2025, the defense has allowed eight opening drive scores. That’s the team’s worst output since 2017.

Last year, half of those eight scoring drives ended in field goals. The other half were touchdowns.

Pittsburgh masked the issue by going 6-2 in those games. In a vacuum, they’ll want to cut that total number by about half. Under Mike McCarthy, the Steelers have a chance to set the tone early.

3. Safety interceptions: Three

I had the same stat on my 2025 list. Pittsburgh didn’t get any better. In 2024, the safety group intercepted three passes. In 2025, the unit snagged another three. That’s counting Jalen Ramsey’s pick among the cornerbacks, his primary position for his Week Two takeaway.

Traded over midseason, Kyle Dugger picked off a pair. He’s now in Cincinnati. DeShon Elliott had the other, snagging a pass in the Dublin win over the Minnesota Vikings.

With Ramsey having a full offseason to hone his craft, Elliott’s return to health, and the signing of Jaquan Brisker, the group needs more splash plays. Sometimes an interception is determined by the bounce of the ball, but Pittsburgh’s unit must be more proactive and take charge. And take the ball away.

4. Missed Tackles: 126 (30th league-wide)

Crooked numbers galore last season. Per Pro Football Reference, the Steelers missed 126 tackles in 2025. That’s over seven per game. It ranked 30th league-wide, only behind the Washington Commanders (131) and the historically bad Cincinnati Bengals (170).

Per PFR’s tracking, Patrick Queen “led” the way with 17 misses. Payton Wilson had 10.

More relatively, 11 Steelers who had 15 or more total tackles also carried a missed-tackle rate of 10 percent or higher. Only one other playoff team matched that last season, the Los Angeles Chargers, and only three other teams were worse: the Indianapolis Colts (13), Bengals (13), and Commanders (14). Not the company Pittsburgh wants to keep. Gotta clean it up.