Nov 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen warms up for a game against the Buffalo Bills at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Steelers Get Star Defender Back for Pivotal Game

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Dec 5, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The middle of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense has been anything other than impressive during the 2025 season. No position has excelled, but the team's inability to stop the run and their penchant for allowing chunk plays are a reflection of how poorly managed they are in the middle of the field. That includes middle linebacker Patrick Queen.

Queen didn't help the cause at all when he was injured in the Steelers' recent loss to the Buffalo Bills. What was initially reported as a hip injury was actually a glute injury, and the injury kept him off the practice field as they began preparations for the Baltimore Ravens. After missing and being limited, Queen made a full return to practice in their final walk-through before heading to Baltimore. In addition, the team listed their starting linebacker as INJURY STATUS for their matchup against the Ravens.

Impact on the Steelers

The Steelers need Patrick Queen on the field. Not only that, they need Queen to find his old form. There have been moments of Queen looking like a Pro Bowl player. The first four games of the season, for example, were an excellent stretch for their starting linebacker. In 12 games, he's collected 89 total tackles, five quarterback hits, four passes defended and a fumble recovery.

The Steelers need that production in a must-win game against Baltimore. The Steelers defense is among the worst in the NFL this year, ranking 20th in points per game allowed and 28th in passing yards and total yards allowed per game. Their best defensive metric is their run defense, which comes in as the 17th-best in the league through Week 14.

Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Pass Coverage Issue

Queen's first season with Pittsburgh earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl. While he's on pace to eclipse 100 total tackles once again, he hasn't been able to keep that level of performance up over the entirety of the 2025 campaign. His play has jumped from great to poor and back again, and that's been especially true in his pass coverage.

The Steelers have been an open lane for opposing tight ends. They've given up over 700 receiving yards and seven touchdowns to tight ends in 2025, ranking them in the bottom of defenses against that position.

That presents a particular problem for the Steelers in their pending contest. The Ravens have two tight ends that can do damage in the passing game. Mark Andrews, the leading receiver in Baltimore franchise history, and Isaiah Likely, a notorious Steelers killer, could enflict serious damage on the Steelers' defense. That is, unless, Queen and Payton Wilson can find success in coverage.

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

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