Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) runs after catch against Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) during the first quarter t Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pro Football Talk Roasts Steelers After Loss

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Ari Meyer | Last updated Sep 15, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers currently have the highest paid defense in the NFL.

Their performance in a Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks showed that money does not necessarily translate to on-field performance, as the team gave up 31 points to a Seattle Seahawks team that was not viewed as one of the top offensive teams coming into the season.

The Steelers gave up 395 yards of offense, with 278 of them coming through the air. Despite causing one interception, the game was not close at the end. The team allowed 6.2 yards per play, an unsustainably high mark.

Their uninspiring performance caught the eyes of the media, particularly due to the fact that they pay the most for their defense of any team in the league. One member of the media who had an immediate response is Mike Florio, who runs ProFootballTalk and is also a contributor on NBC for their football content.

Florio took to X to make his thoughts heard.

The Shower Curtain defense.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 14, 2025

Florio called the Steelers current defense the "Shower Curtain" harkening back to the days of the "Steel Curtain".

The "Steel Curtain" moniker was initially used for the defensive front seven for the 1970s Steelers dynasty that was responsible for four Super Bowls. Throughout the 1970s, it was also used to account for the entire defense. During the 1976 season, the Steelers defense recorded five shutouts throughout the season, making up for an injured Terry Bradshaw on offense with a stifling defense.

Florio's "shower" comparison serves to contrast the fact that this defense was unable to perform well, especially against a team that did not rank the most highly coming into the season. It also serves as a comparison to those 1970s teams. It can also be compared to the teams of the 2000s and 2010s, who continued the trend of stifiling defenses in Pittsburgh.

It is important to note that the Steelers were without some of their starters on defense, with Joey Porter Jr. being one of the notable inactives for the game. Injuries also began to pile up, as Alex Highsmith and Isaiahh Loudermilk both exited the game with injuries. Whether or not the bad defensive playe will be a trend is unclear, but the first two games have not been a good sign for the highest paid defense in the league.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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