The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has been one of the best in the NFL during the 2024 season. They give up the second fewest points per game and have the fourth most takeaways with 15.
However, star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick hasn’t been able to make the big, exciting plays fans are used to seeing from him. His game-changing turnovers have dropped a lot in the last two seasons, but this could change now that Pittsburgh is getting back a key player in their secondary.
The Steelers brought Fitzpatrick in via a trade with the Miami Dolphins in 2019, and it turned out to be a smart move by the team. In his first four seasons with Pittsburgh, through 2022, Fitzpatrick totaled 17 interceptions, three forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and three defensive touchdowns.
But since the start of 2023, even with Fitzpatrick missing some games last season, his numbers have significantly dropped.
In the 18 games since, Fitzpatrick hasn’t recorded a single interception, forced fumble, or fumble recovery. As each game passes without a big play from him, fans are getting more concerned. But the coaching staff doesn’t seem too worried about the lack of splash plays from their star safety.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin discussed the importance of versatile players like Cam Sutton: “The great thing about Cam [Sutton] is his versatility, man. He’s a utility back. He’s played outside corner, he’s played inside corner.
He’s played safety, he’s played dime. And really I think that’s the value in him, particularly at the early stages of working him back into the fold. His ability to fit in wherever needed is really, really important to us.
It’s more about just positioning Cam to be effective, playing the jersey game, if you will. In the past he’s allowed Minkah [Fitzpatrick] to move around some because he’s an interchangeable part with Minkah.”
In his six seasons with the Steelers, Sutton has 8 interceptions and 6 forced fumbles. He only had one interception last season with Detroit, but he should feel more comfortable back in Pittsburgh’s defense.
The Steelers’ defense has already been effective at creating turnovers, even without Fitzpatrick making big plays. If he and Sutton can start making some big plays, the defense could help carry the team deep into the playoffs.
While Sutton was suspended in 2024, undrafted rookie Beanie Bishop Jr. has filled his role in the slot. Bishop has made some key plays already, with three interceptions, including two against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets. Tomlin also mentioned that both Sutton and Bishop could end up on the field at the same time.
Steelers’ Unexpected Struggles on Defense
While the Steelers have excelled in stopping the run, limiting points, and ranking 11th in third down percentage, there’s one area where they’ve been surprisingly weak: getting to the quarterback. Despite their strong defense, Pittsburgh has only recorded 19 sacks, which is the 10th fewest in the league.
The Steelers led the NFL in sacks for five straight seasons from 2017 to 2021, but that changed after TJ Watt suffered a pectoral injury in 2022. Since then, the team hasn’t been able to generate as many sacks, even though it feels like the defense is always getting pressure on the quarterback.
The drop in sacks could also be because teams are getting the ball out faster to avoid Pittsburgh’s strong pass rush. With a group of talented pass rushers like Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, and now Preston Smith, opponents are likely trying to make quicker throws to minimize the damage from Pittsburgh’s defense.
