Steelers Rookie Jack Sawyer Had A Revealing Statement About The Defensive Playbook

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had an up and down 2025 season as the team currently has a record of 6-6. The postseason is still certainly in reach, but the team has been trending in the wrong direction for well over a month now. One of the more concerning parts of the team is the defense, as the organization has poured a ton of resources into that side of the ball -- yet there has been a handful of concerning performances from that group in 2025. Players have begun to call out the scheme with the media, which is a direct indictment on the coaching staff.

Pittsburgh's defensive scheme is known as being predictable, as that side of the ball typically relies on forcing turnovers. Former players from opposing teams have stated that the Steelers refuse to make many changes, and it is easy to tell what coverage the group is in, which allows for opposing offenses to find success. There have been plenty of instances of this, and rookie outside linebacker Jack Sawyer recently called the playbook "simple" during an appearance on Not Just Football.

"I like the way that our playbook is, for the most part, you know, at least for us, isn't too complicated," Sawyer said. "It's kind of simple. Having TJ [Watt] and those guys help me learn it, and also to see what they're seeing. When TJ is explaining stuff to me of what he is seeing and what we can do outside of the playbook maybe too sometimes I think has been very helpful."

Sawyer said this in an innocent manner as he was initially talking about how complicated the defensive playbook was a times while he was at Ohio State. It is not unheard of for playbooks and schemes to be a bit more complicated and nuanced at the college level, but with the history of players calling out the defense in Pittsburgh, this statement carries a bit more weight.

The rookie was also talking about things purely from his perspective as an outside linebacker, so maybe things are a little more nuanced and complicated for the players on the back end of the defense. However, Head Coach Mike Tomlin and Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin need to do a better job schematically when it comes to the defense. That was clear in the Week 12 loss to the Chicago Bears as the defense was picked apart by second-year quarterback Caleb Williams.

Pittsburgh has constantly allowed routes underneath to come wide open, especially on critical downs in short yardage situations. This allows the quarterback to get the ball into playmaker's hands with room to run after securing the ball, and it also mitigates the pass rush as the quarterback can get rid of the ball quickly. This was seen in the loss to the Chicago, as well as the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals earlier in the season.

Steelers' Jack Sawyer Has Been Progressing Nicely In Pittsburgh

Sawyer has been playing well as he constantly plays around 40 percent of the defensive snaps or less, but he has been making the most out of his opportunities. He has recorded 22 tackles on the year, as well as a sack and an interception, and he has also gotten consistent pressure. Sawyer has been passing the eye test as he has clearly improved with each passing week of the season, and he has proven that he can be a key part of the defense moving forward. He should be able to find a way to have a long and successful career in Pittsburgh, which would be ideal considering the age of some of the edge rushers on Pittsburgh's roster.

What do you think about Sawyer's comments on the playbook? Let us know in the comments below!

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