Pittsburgh Steelers defensvie coordinator Patrick Graham has made a significant impact in his first year with the club. Garrett Podell of CBS Sports recently ranked Graham as the second-best new coordinator in the NFL.

“The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has come back to life under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. 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),” Podell wrote.

“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 Houston 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.  

“The Browns were flying high entering Week 8 with a 5-2 record, but they left Pittsburgh 5-3 after a 27-6 defeat in which the Steelers held them to both season-lows in points (6) and rushing yards (34). Graham is crushing it.”

The Steelers have also allowed just one second-half touchdown this year. The Steelers were historically bad in the fourth quarter last season.

On a drive basis, the 2025 Steelers’ fourth-quarter defense ranked No. 32 in score rate per drive (60.4%), No. 32 in percentage of drives allowed to reach the red zone (40%), No. 31 in yards per drive allowed (36%) and No. 30 in punt rate forced (17%), according to Sharp Football. There have been 830 teams to play a season since 2000. The Steelers score rate of 60.4% ranked No. 826 of 830.

Graham revealed on Monday that the loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 4 was the turning point for the defense and himself. The defense had 14 missed tackles in that game. Frustration was also mounting, as T.J. Watt took the head seat and chewed out defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Graham has moved from the booth to the sideline since, and the defense has been playing lights out.

Graham said he stared out the window listening to Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” on the bus ride back from Cleveland. It was a moment of deep reflection for him.

“I had to learn how to trust them more. The input from the veteran players. Sometimes you don’t want to hear that,” Graham said.