Steelers Report Card: Grading the surprises, standouts, and disappointments after two-thirds of the 2025 season
The Steelers are 2-4 in their last six games. Here is where the team grades out.
The last time we graded the Steelers, they were 4-1 and coming off a bye week. Now the team is 2-4 in their last six games, and they have suddenly watched their precious AFC North lead slip through their fingers.
So what has gone wrong? And what has gone right? Here is a report card after two-thirds of the Steelers’ season.
Offensive superlatives
MVP: RBs Jaylen Warren/Kenny Gainwell
The Steelers’ offense hasn’t looked great over this stretch, but when they have been able to put up points, it’s come from the ground game. That’s why the two backs are co-MVP’s through this point in the season.
Glue guy: TE Darnell Washington
The go to player in the passing game whenever the offense needs a spark has been the big TE. That seems crazy to say given Washington weighs 311 pounds, but his yards after the catch seem to energize what is often a stagnant offense. Oh, and without Darnell Washington, there is no jumbo personnel, the grouping that has been integral in the Steelers’ ability to run the football.
Biggest surprise: LT Broderick Jones
While he’s far from a premier left tackle in the league, Jones hasn’t had his name called much, or at least not nearly as much as the beginning of the season. He still has a long way to go, but he has been serviceable, which once seemed far fetched.
Biggest disappointment: WR Roman Wilson
It’s year two now, and despite the Steelers desperately needing all the help they can get in the WR corps, Wilson has been out snapped by Ben Skowronek in games and he just can’t seem to carve out a niche in this offense. Even if the Steelers are treating this as his rookie year, it hasn’t been a good one for Wilson.
Turning point of the last six weeks: Chargers game
Aaron Rodgers had his first bad game of the season against the Chargers, which was followed up by his broken wrist in the Bengals game and then Sunday’s loss to the Bears with Mason Rudolph under center. It wasn’t great before, but the last three weeks have been terrible for the Steelers offense.
Offense overall grade: D+
Defensive superlatives
MVP: T.J. Watt
After a bit of slow start, Watt has recorded a sack in three of his last four games, he continues to force fumbles at a high clip (like he did on Sunday), and despite not caring, he passed his brother J.J. on the all time sacks list against the Bears.
Glue guy: Jalen Ramsey
The move of Jalen Ramsey to safety was a godsend for the Steelers’ defense up and until the Bears game. He played fine, but for whatever reason, the Steelers went away from the two high looks that have featured Ramsey alongside the next player on our list.
Biggest surprise: Kyle Dugger
After his acquisition ahead of the NFL trade deadline, it felt like the Steelers were just adding another player to the safety rotation as a form of depth. In reality, Dugger has been great over the middle of the field, and he has brought back the intensity that was missing with the DeShon Elliott injury.
Biggest disappointment: Patrick Queen
After starting out hot, Queen has missed far too many tackles as of late and he has been a liability when matched up with Tight ends in coverage. He needs to rekindle his early-season success if Pittsburgh is going to find its footing in the middle of the defense.
Turning point of the last six weeks: Second Bengals game
The second go-round against the Bengals stole the headlines due to spitgate, but it was a huge day for the Steelers’ defense as you finally saw the mesh point of the coverage and the pass rush. It offered something to build off of, yet the Steelers went away from that against the Bears for some reason.
Defense overall grade: B-
2025 draft class superlatives
Overachiever: NA
Derrick Harmon received this award after the first trimester, but his play hasn’t been the same as of late. None of the other rookies have stepped up to win the award either.
Rookie we need to see more from: Jack Sawyer
Sawyer hasn’t seen the field much, but it’s hard to break through when you have the pass-rushing trio that the Steelers employ up top. He recorded a sack in his first trimester, so I would like to see how he looks with more time on task.
Underachiever: Kaleb Johnson
Kaleb Johnson has been a total non-factor in the run game, and he struggles to see the field behind Gainwell and Warren.
Draft class overall grade: D
Coaching report card
After giving the coaching staff credit for changing up their look on defense, they fell back into their old habits against Chicago, and even worse, the offense finally finds it teeth in the run game, and the team can’t seem to stop throwing short of the sticks. It’s been a rough watch.
Grade: D
Pittsburgh Steelers News
T.J. Watt’s defeated response after losing to the Bears proves he couldn’t care less about making history on Sunday
T.J. Watt is tired of what’s been going on in Pittsburgh.
