As defensive coordinators across the NFL prioritize dropping two deep safeties to eliminate explosive plays, the Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing a direct tactical counterpunch, leaning heavily into 12 and 13 personnel packages.
Speaking on the “North Shore Drive” podcast, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette beat writers Christopher Carter and Ray Fittipaldo discussed how the league’s widespread adoption of split-safety coverage is reshaping offensive strategy. According to NextGen Stats highlighted by Carter, defenses deployed split-safety coverages on a record 42% of snaps last season.
"It used to be a lot of single safety stuff because they wanted an extra safety flying down into the box," Carter explained. "But now, they want to just make you have to dink
and dunk your way down the field."
To exploit defenses that drop two safeties deep, the Steelers plan to counter by deploying multi-tight end sets featuring Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, and Robert Tonyan. Running two- or three-tight-end formations forces defenses out of lightweight nickel packages and back into heavier base alignments, creating favorable power-running opportunities or mismatched passing lanes.
Fittipaldo noted that Pittsburgh’s deep tight end room makes this strategy a natural fit for new head coach Mike McCarthy’s offense.
"They are set at tight end," Fittipaldo said. "They can mix and match in 12 personnel with Tonyan and Freiermuth or Tonyan and Washington or Freiermuth and Washington. So they have all sorts of options, and I would not be surprised at all if that was a featured part of their offense this season."
By committing to 12 and 13 personnel, Pittsburgh aims to take control of the physical matchup at the line of scrimmage, forcing opposing defenses to adjust to their terms rather than dictating the pace of the game.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: How the Steelers plan to beat NFL defenses using heavy tight end sets
