Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has come in and immediately made his mark during his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

While ranking all of the best new coordinators around the NFL, CBS Sports' Garrett Podell slotted Graham in at the No. 2 spot, only behind Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator and former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon.

“The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has come back to life under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham," Podell wrote. "They’re the league’s No. 3 scoring defense (18.0 points per game allowed), No. 6 total defense (305.6 total yards per game allowed), No. 3 run defense (83.9 rushing yards per game allowed), No. 8 third down defense (34.3% third down conversion rate allowed), No. 2 red zone defense (37.5% third down conversion rate allowed) and tied for No. 3 in takeaways (13).

"Having All-Pro edge rusher T.J. Watt turning back the clock also helps. After he had just 7.0 sacks in 14 games last season, Watt has 7.5 in eight games this season, which is tied for the league lead with Texans All-Pro edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. No team has more sacks in the NFL than Graham's unit's 26, one more than the Brian Flores blitzkrieg Minnesota Vikings attack."

Comparing Steelers' Defenses Over Recent Years to Graham's Unit

Though it's only about the halfway point of the season for the Steelers, who are sitting at 6-2 and have rode a four-game win streak into their Week 9 bye, the early returns on Graham's work with the defense are overwhelmingly positive.

Along with all of the metrics Podell laid out, which includes giving up the sixth-fewest total yards and third-fewest points per game, the unit is also tied for the fifth-fewest EPA per play allowed (-0.12) while being tied for the sixth-best missed tackle rate (10.4 percent), according to SumerSports.

The defense is reaching heights thus far that it hasn't in quite some time. In 2025 under head coach Mike Tomlin and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, the group allowed the seventh-most yards per game (356.9) and ranked right in the middle of the league at No. 16 for points allowed per contest (22.8).

Pittsburgh's defense was strong during the 2024 campaign, allowing the 12th-fewest yards per game (326.7) and eighth-fewest points per game (20.4), but those totals still don't sniff what Graham and company have accomplished thus far.

You'd have to go all the way back to 2020 for comparable production of the unit, as they gave up the third-fewest yards (305.8) and points (19.5) per game that season en route to a 12-4 record that also saw them open the year 11-0.

Graham's Defense Gives Steelers Real Hopes in Playoffs

Pittsburgh's offense has also taken a step forward this season, particularly with Jaylen Warren and the ground game, with head coach Mike McCarthy calling the plays.

As things currently stand, though, the defense is the backbone of the team and is the unit that will propel the Steelers to the type of playoff success that's eluded the franchise over the past decade.

From the 2023 Kansas City Chiefs to the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles and the 2025 Seattle Seahawks, we've now seen three elite defensive teams win the last three Super Bowls.

Though there's still plenty of season left, Pittsburgh's defense is playing at a similar level, which will give the team a chance to compete against anyone and go on a run should they make the playoffs.

Graham really has breathed new life into the unit, and it's provided the Steelers with their highest ceiling in years as a result.