New Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham Is Bringing The Heat
Patrick Graham is turning the dial up to 11. He might rip the knob off next.
Monday’s padded practice opened up Graham’s bag of blitzes. Pittsburgh’s defensive pressure was as relentless as it was creative with heat coming on nearly every snap. Some of that was situational. Much of the practice was dedicated to third down work followed by a pair of two-minute drills. Ones the defense won on both occasions. A Patrick Queen interception off Aaron Rodgers followed by a Daylen Everette tip-away on Will Howard’s final throw.
Routinely, Pittsburgh mugged the A-gaps with double barrel inside linebackers. Both standing inches from the center to give the impression of a blitz. Sometimes, they’d rush. Sometimes, they’d drop out. Sometimes, one would rush and the other would drop. The offense has to respect the possibility of both coming every time, stressing protection. In response, Pittsburgh moved is running back up to a “sniffer” position nearly on the line of scrimmage. That may help solve an immediate A-gap blitz but leaves the protection vulnerable to anything from the perimeter.
Graham didn’t leave those guys out either. Cornerbacks like Brandin Echols and backup Doneiko Slaughter rushed in. Jaquan Brisker has blitzed from the line of scrimmage multiple times this camp already. It’s creating confusion and free rushers. Patrick Queen came in scot-free on a would-be sack during one rep.
I charted at least nine blitzes or heavy blitz looks, and I’m sure I missed several of them.
Graham’s defensive coordinator tenure has been winding. He’s run every scheme and concept imaginable. Last year, he deferred to Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, who essentially took over the defense and its philosophy. That led to a big reduction in blitzing. In 2024, the Raiders ranked 11th with a 26.3 percent blitz rate, per Pro Football Reference. In 2025 under Carroll, that dropped to 25th and just 19.8 percent.
At his core, Graham is someone who wants to put the pressure on. In our Big Book review of his coaching background and mindset, he doesn’t like to sit back.
“At some point, you’re gonna have to get on them, and we got on them, and tried to create a rush situation,” Graham once said of facing Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Our article concluded with:
“Expect man coverage, third-down blitzes, and making offenses win with their Plan B instead.”
That was on full display yesterday.
During Monday’s appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Cam Heyward offered an additional window into what Graham’s thinking.
“He’s trying to bring that Belichick era back into it,” Heyward said. “He’s been telling us a little bit what’s been going on in the past.”
Graham’s first NFL job came with the Patriots, learning from defensive masterminds like Brian Flores and Belichick. Graham coached linebackers and developed the likes of Dont’a Hightower and Jerod Mayo. In 2014 under Graham, Hightower picked up six sacks. In 2012, Mayo registered three along with four forced fumbles.
Last year proved making big proclamations about Pittsburgh’s defense is foolish. This year’s group has much to prove. Graham, though, doesn’t have the look of a shrinking violet coordinator who will simply rush four, drop seven, and play it safe. The Steelers’ defense will be the aggressor and make offenses answer the call.
