The Pittsburgh Steelers made the playoffs in 2023 and their defense was a big reason why.
Pittsburgh ranked sixth in the NFL in points against, only allowing their opponents to score 19.1 points against them on a per-game basis. They also forced the eighth-most turnovers in football with 27. Few teams have as many top-of-the-line defenders as the Steelers do, and it’s a big reason for their defense performing like they did.
Ahead of the 2024 season kicking off with training camp and preseason action, the NFL has started to release the “NFL Top 100 Players of 2024” list — as voted on by the players. The first Steelers player was revealed by the NFL on Monday as Cameron Heyward placed at No. 98 on the list.
While he was only able to play 11 games in the 2023 season, Heyward remained a force for Pittsburgh when he was on the gridiron. He finished his season with 2.0 sacks, 33 combo tackles, and six tackles for loss.
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Wreaking havoc in the middle for the Steelers has long been Heyward’s job. Entering his 14th season, the 35-year-old will look to do the same with Pittsburgh trying to make some noise in the AFC North.
The “NFL Top 100 Players of 2024” show is currently airing on NFL+ with the top 10 set to be revealed on Aug. 2 at 8 p.m. EST on NFL Network.
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Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY Sports Images