“If we’re not No. 1, we’re not good enough,” Mitchell told Ed Bouchette of the Post-Gazette. And it’s true. With everything Pittsburgh has done this offseason, they’re on the verge of being the best team in the NFL. But without a defense that can handle their own, their season will end short yet again.
Mitchell wasn’t the only one to say something. Other defensive stars like Bud Dupree and Cam Heyward made their opinions clear about the defensive unit heading into the 2017 season. Although no player said the same thing, they all had the same understanding when speaking to the media.