Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — The 2024 season ended on a sour note for Pittsburgh Steelers veteran linebacker Patrick Queen following a 34-17 loss in the wild-card round to his former team, the Baltimore Ravens. However, various changes to the coaching staff and roster have him optimistic about the direction of the defense.
“It’s a little bit of a few new people, but nothing crazy,” Queen said. “Just getting comfortable with the new stuff we’re doing right now, getting comfortable with the new coach, and understanding how he wants us to play. It’s mostly the same fundamentals, just with some new nuances here and there.”
Queen is referring to the Steelers’ new linebackers coach, Scott McCurley, who enters his first season in Pittsburgh following the departure of former position coach Aaron Curry. McCurley previously spent the last four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys in the same role.
Queen is also excited about the offseason additions to the defensive side of the ball.
“We got young guys coming in with Jack [Sawyer] off the edge. We got some new corners, some new safeties, so that’s gonna be fun,” he said.
One of the key additions is veteran cornerback Darius Slay, a multi-time Pro Bowler who was part of the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl team in 2024. The Steelers also made a concerted effort to bolster their defensive front, selecting defensive tackle Derrick Harmon in the first round, edge rusher Jack Sawyer in the fourth, and defensive lineman Yahya Black in the fifth.
With bigger, more physical bodies in the trenches, Queen should have more freedom to roam and make plays as the sideline-to-sideline force he’s known to be.
Expectations will be high for the Steelers’ defense, especially with uncertainty lingering at the quarterback position. If Pittsburgh wants to stay competitive, the defense will likely have to shoulder the load and keep points off the board.
The unit started strong last season but faded down the stretch, culminating in a collapse against the Ravens when they gave up 186 rushing yards to Derrick Henry. That loss seemingly forced general manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin back to the drawing boardand the result was a defense that looks revamped and reloaded heading into 2025.
Ed Thompson provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Patrick Queen Optimistic About Steelers Defensive Changes
