After allowing 182 rushing yards last week to the New York Jets, the Steelers could be experimenting with different ways to stop the ground game ahead of their Week 2 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said he expects rookie defensive lineman Yahya Black to see more playing time against Seattle per Steelers Now’s Alan Saunders.
Black played 24 of the Steelers’ 64 defensive snaps against the Jets, behind Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton, and Isaiahh Loudermilk on the defensive line depth chart. At 336 pounds, Black is the biggest lineman on the Steelers roster.
The rookie was a standout run defender in college, and he showed a lot of promise in the 2025 preseason. Against the Jets last week, he recorded two tackles but left some plays on the table.
Still, Austin emphasized that it’s important not to play Black too much. “We’ve seen really good progress with him,” he said via Saunders. “With young guys, you don’t want to overload them early and have them fail.”
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