‘We played like trash… like (crap)’ — Steelers’ defense sputters … until it mattered most

September 7, 2025 by Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields celebrates his third-quarter touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium. The Steelers’ defense struggled until it got two critical stops late in the fourth quarter to secure a 34-32 victory.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Despite a bevy of new faces and some bold proclamations that the unit could be elite this season, for much of the 2025 opener the Pittsburgh Steelers defense was much too like the one that ended the 2024 campaign.