The Pittsburgh Steelers have secured a playoff spot, but tensions in the locker room appear to be escalating as they approach the final week of the regular season.
The Steelers have dropped three straight games, all by double digits, including a 29-10 Christmas Day loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Acrisure Stadium. The defeat brought Pittsburgh’s record to 10-6 and highlighted their struggles heading into a challenging Week 18 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals, potentially fighting for the AFC’s No. 7 seed, won’t make things easy for Pittsburgh, which desperately needs a win to stabilize its season and morale.
Cam Heyward Voices Frustration
After the loss to Kansas City, defensive lineman Cam Heyward expressed his frustration, pointing out that defensive breakdowns often come from just one player failing to execute. “We’re screwed when 10 guys execute, but one doesn’t,” Heyward said, as reported by Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Locker Room Issues Emerge
NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt suggested deeper issues within the Steelers’ locker room, particularly with the defensive personnel. Several players reportedly spoke out about unnamed teammates failing to perform their responsibilities.
“There are theories floating around that some defensive players don’t want a particular teammate on the field,” Brandt explained. “If you piece together the quotes, it starts to make sense. There’s something brewing behind the scenes.”
This situation bears resemblance to last year’s Philadelphia Eagles drama, where rumored conflicts involving Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni, and A.J. Brown reportedly fractured the team. That turmoil contributed to their early exit in the wild-card round.
Avoiding a Repeat of History
Head coach Mike Tomlin faces the challenge of keeping his team united as the Steelers aim to avoid a similar fate. With the Bengals looming in Week 18, Pittsburgh must address its internal issues quickly to ensure their playoff run isn’t derailed before it begins.
