Colin Cowherd Shares Red Hot Steelers Take

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in celebration mode for a few more days following the signing of superstar edge rusher T.J. Watt. He signed a three-year contract that comes with a guaranteed $108 million. He is now the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL and eager to pursue another Defensive Player of the Year Award and hopefully, a long run in the postseason.

Not everyone is as optimistic about the Steelers, however. Sports analyst Colin Cowherd shared his reaction to the Watt extension, and it was far less kind to the organization. Speaking on The Herd on FS1, he explained his reasoning.

"I don't question the player," he said about Watt. "I question the direction of the Pittsburgh Steelers."

The main reason why, according to Cowherd, is investing too much in the defense. He expressed numerous times that it wasn't about Watt's ability to live up to the contract, but rather a criticism of the Steelers' defensive failures in the postseason.

"Frankly, their defense isn't that good," he declared. "Four straight years, it's been out of the top-10 in total defense. Let's talk playoffs, because that's all that matters in this sport...If you go look at the last five playoff games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they've given up 28, 31, 42, 48 and 45. They give up 40 points a game. They're spending all this money on the wrong side of the ball. and they're not dominant."

The Steelers would be better served keeping their defense cheaper, Cowherd insists. Instead of having one of the most expensive defenses in the NFL, he believes they should allocate more resources to their offense if they want to improve.

"Why can't they watch the (Los Angeles) Rams, the (San Francisco) 49ers, and the (Detroit) Lions, and the (Kansas City) Chiefs and the (Buffalo) Bills," he asked. "Keep your defense cheap and young. Pay one great defensive player."

The Steelers are hoping their method for pursuing a Super Bowl pays off in 2025, much to the chagrin of Cowherd. While Cowherd is correct in pointing out the Steelers' playoff shortcomings, this year the team has made several changes geared toward correcting that.

The swap of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick for Jalen Ramsey gives the team a more consistent turnover producer over the past two seasons and a Super Bowl winner. Their first-round draft pick is set to play a significant role on the defensive line immediately. Their middle linebacker group is the deepest it's been since the last time the Steelers were truly in contention.

It might not be the perfect defense, but it's one that the Steelers believe is not only good enough but championship-worthy.