The mantra “defense wins championships” means more for the Pittsburgh Steelers than almost any other team.
In a city where toughness is woven into the culture and football is more than just a Sunday pastime, the Steelers have long been the embodiment of grit, endurance, and hard-nosed football. But in their Week 2, 31-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, that identity vanished—and nowhere was it more evident than in the linebacking corps.
This wasn’t just another early-season hiccup. This was a gut-check—and the Steelers flinched.
For years, Mike Tomlin’s squads have been defined by discipline and defensive intensity.