Derrick Bell of Steelers Now didn’t hesitate to share a clip from the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ 2024 season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals, where wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase beat former Steelers cornerback Cory Trice on a quick in-breaking route. The clip was a direct nod to what Darius Slay recently said about the Steelers’ defense, as he criticized Mike Tomlin’s scheme and its tendency to play outside leverage while leaving the middle of the field exposed.

Slay called Tomlin’s defensive system “backwards,” and it may have been one reason he lasted less than a season in Pittsburgh in 2025. However, former Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley came to Tomlin’s defense and pushed back against Slay’s assessment.

“I’m going to rant at you and do my best Stephen A. Smith impression,” Haley said in the most recent episode of The Pump Fake podcast. “What are you talking about? This guy is so much smarter than you or I or anybody probably listening to this podcast. Football smart, world smart, everything. Smart people don’t let things pass them by.

“There are a lot of circumstances. Number one, I don’t listen to any players, and I love (Darius) Slay…I love him, but there are so many factors that go into playing good defense. I know Mike Tomlin had a big hand in how they played defense. Can he go out there and play it for them [though]? No. And no coach can, but you can only do everything you can to put the players in the best position to succeed.

Tomlin has always been a defense-first head coach. But for years, especially during Teryl Austin’s tenure as defensive coordinator from 2022 through 2025, debate around the Steelers’ defense revolved around one question: Who was really calling the shots? Was it Austin or Tomlin?

Even though Slay spent less than a full season in Tomlin’s secondary, he seems convinced it was Tomlin’s influence, especially because he never criticized Austin. During a recent episode of his Big Play Slay podcast, the 35-year-old veteran explained:

“I ain’t gonna lie to you, that Pittsburgh stuff, that was rough for my dog [Jalen Ramsey] because that sh*t’s backwards over there. That ain’t [Teryl Austin] sh*t. TA ain’t teach none of that sh*t in fuc*ing Detroit. They was outside leverage on every fuc*king call. That’s why you see, whenever Ramsey got scored on, he’s chasing someone that’s running away from outside leverage.”

Slay spent four seasons playing under Teryl Austin in Detroit before reuniting with him in Pittsburgh. So it’s easy to understand where his criticism of Tomlin comes from, especially since he has consistently shown respect for Austin and refused to place blame on him.

At the same time, Haley sees the situation differently. While he acknowledges that Mike Tomlin absolutely influenced the Steelers’ defense, he also believes Slay is viewing the issue strictly through a player’s perspective. But does that mean the Steelers weren’t playing outside leverage and Slay is completely wrong? Probably not.

“It’s crazy. Them guys make plays. Don’t get me wrong,” Slay added. “This is what these [coaches] were telling me, ‘You play outside leverage, and if they catch a ball inside, it’s on the [defensive] line because they’re so good at batting the ball down.’ I’m not banking on that. That’s the only thing I did not like about the defense. Everything was outside leverage in the red zone. That sh*t was weird as fu*k. I never played that sh*t.”

Take the last couple of seasons as an example. Back in 2024, the Steelers’ secondary was productive in some areas but still had flaws. The group featured Minkah Fitzpatrick at safety, Joey Porter Jr. as the primary outside corner, Donte Jackson after arriving via trade, and rotational contributions from Beanie Bishop Jr.

Despite these moves, they still ranked among the weaker pass defenses in the league, allowing 244.2 passing yards per game while surrendering 7.5 yards per attempt (25th) and a 5.7% touchdown rate (25th) over the final seven games. At the same time, the defense leaned heavily on the front seven, as Pittsburgh recorded 40 sacks that helped mask some of the issues in coverage.

In 2025, those concerns only intensified. The Steelers allowed 261 passing yards per game, one of the weaker marks among playoff teams. Opposing quarterbacks completed 64.6% of their passes against Pittsburgh. The defense also surrendered 30 passing touchdowns, 7.2 yards per attempt, and a 92.2 opposing passer rating.

While it’s true the unit generated 48 sacks, 15 interceptions, and 90 passes defended, the Steelers were still giving up significantly more completions and explosive passing plays than they had the previous season.

That said, Darius Slay is no longer in Pittsburgh, and neither are Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin. But even though Todd Haley has defended Tomlin, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that Tomlin influenced the Steelers’ defense for years, regardless of who held the defensive coordinator title. This year, however, could be different as the Steelers are heading into a different era.

Mike McCarthy will stay away from Patrick Graham’s duties

Mike McCarthy took the field as the Steelers’ head coach when Pittsburgh opened OTAs last month. And as that happened, reporters quickly identified two major changes within the organization. For starters, Mark Kaboly reported that McCarthy is implementing significant adjustments on the offensive side of the ball, which makes sense given that offense has always been his area of expertise.

At the same time, the Steelers insider also provided insight into McCarthy’s approach on the defensive side of the ball. According to Kaboly, the head coach is largely staying away from defensive responsibilities. Instead, McCarthy is trusting the coaches he hired to oversee that side of the operation.

Following Teryl Austin’s departure, the Steelers hired Patrick Graham to lead the defense. And since arriving in Pittsburgh, Graham has made it clear that one of his goals is to restore the franchise’s long-standing defensive identity. So, heading into the 2026 season, it’s fair to say that while Mike McCarthy will oversee the offense, Graham will be entrusted with handling responsibilities on the other side of the ball.