You'd be hard-pressed to find an NFL player bigger than Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Yahya Black.

During Week 6, Black's conversation with Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs, both of whom played at Iowa, was caught since the latter was mic'd up for NFL Films.

Black first asked Wirfs, "What they got you weighing at?" to which he responded 340 pounds. Wirfs turned around and asked the same question to Black, who stated that he is 370 pounds.

Wirfs told him that he looks "like an absolute unit," and was later shown telling a story about Black from when he went back to train at Iowa after his rookie season, which would've been in 2021.

"When I went back to train after my rookie year, he was like a freshman or something," Wirfs said. "He was not that big... He's like, doubled in size."

Black's Weight Over the Years

On his 247 Sports player page from when he was a four-star high school recruit in the class of 2020, Black was listed as being 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds by the platform.

Then, Iowa listed him at 6-foot-5 and 317 pounds on their official website during his senior season back in 2024.

Black went on to weigh in at 336 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2025, and Pittsburgh currently has him listed at 330 pounds on its official roster.

It's clear that number is incorrect, however, and the former fifth-round pick is now among the heaviest players in the NFL while holding down the fort in the middle of the Steelers' defensive line.

How Has Black Performed in 2026?

During the offseason program in May, defensive line coach Domata Peko stated that he believes Black can grow into one of the best nose tackles across the NFL.

”Black can be one of the best noses in the game if he just keeps on doing what he’s been doing, and us working his butt off,” Peko said. “Really good on his technique and his details. I just want to sharpen him up and get him really going, and try to bring out the best in him.”

After a good summer, Black has played 39 percent of Pittsburgh's defensive snaps thus far, which comes out to a total of 148 reps.

He hasn't made much of an impact as a pass rusher, which hasn't come as much of a surprise, though he did record the first sack of his career in the Steelers' win over Tampa Bay.

Black's bread-and-butter as a nose tackle is his run defense, and he does a good job of eating up space and clogging running lanes with his ability to anchor given his size.

He still has room for growth, but Black has emerged as a quality piece in the trenches for Pittsburgh as a second-year player.