The Pittsburgh Steelers embarrassed the fan base throughout the end of the 2024 season. The team lost its final four regular season games when it had a chance to win the AFC North. Pittsburgh then got humiliated by the Baltimore Ravens during the Wild Card Round on of the playoffs. The Steelers lost the game by a score of 28-14, which isn't too bad, but the effort that was seen on the gridiron was completely unacceptable. The Ravens ran all over Pittsburgh, and by the time the second half rolled around, certain players weren't showing any fight.
The offense has been inconsistent as always for the Steelers, which is a huge issue. However, more fans were more worried about how ineffective the defense has been over the last month or so. The unit has been a big reason as to why the Steelers ended the year losing five-straight games, which is completely inexcusable when it is the highest-paid defense in football.
Former NFL player and rival of the Steelers, Chris Canty, recently appeared on ESPN's Unsportsmanlike where he accused Pittsburgh of quitting.
"I'm texting our buddy Willie Colon on Saturday night." Canty said. "He's a former Pittsburgh Steeler, won a Super Bowl with them. And I said at 9:43, 'I know quit when I see it. Looks like the boys in Black and Yellow are tapping out!' That's what I said. It just felt like the Pittsburgh Steelers, when Cam Heyward is tapping out of the game because he's dealing with something. Now he was evaluated for a head injury, but when you start seeing stuff like that, TJ Watt dealing with an arm or an elbow."
Canty played for the Ravens during the 2010s, so he knows what it is like to experience the rivalry between the two franchises. What he saw on Saturday night was not that. After the Steelers went down, it seemed like players were quitting and showing a severe lack of effort, at least on the defensive side of the football.
Canty mentioned Cam Heyward and TJ Watt - who each had to miss a handful of plays due to injuries. These are the two defensive leaders for the Steelers, and they would not come out of the game for medical attention unless it was absolutely needed. Heyward left to be evaluated for a head injury, while Watt had to get his elbow wrapped after missing a tackle. However, there were other players on the defense that didn't seem to be making a full effort during the second half, which is an indictment on Head Coach Mike Tomlin.
"For those guys that got a bank full of pride in a postseason game where it's win or go home, for that type of stuff to be happening, I gotta question whether or not this team under Mike Tomlin is capable of going any further."
Tomlin's team didn't seem to have any pride on Saturday night, and fans were certainly expected some more fight from the group. Tomlin has been under a lot of scrutiny throughout this losing-streak to end the year, and rightfully so. The coach does have players jumping up to defend him nearly every day, but it may be time for a new leader in Pittsburgh. The lack of playoff success throughout his career is just inexcusable.
Steelers Defenders Showed An Embarrassing Lack Of Effort
The Steelers’ offense finally had some life in the second half of the game, and it seemed like maybe a comeback could be on the table. After Pittsburgh scored its first touchdown, Baltimore was able to come out and run for a 44-yard touchdown on just a four-play drive. The Steelers scored again, and the defense seemed to just roll over and die.
This is a bad look for Donte Jackson, who is likely to enter free agency. The injury issues he possesses and this lack of effort shouldn't make the front office in Pittsburgh bring him back. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one on the defense with some plays where poor effort was shown.
