Steelers' Payton Wilson Leads NFL in Dreadful Stat

September 20, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (13) blocks Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson (41) and safety Jaquan Brisker (3) during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Steelers' Payton Wilson Leads NFL in Dreadful Stat

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jobe Morrison | Last updated Oct 5, 2026 2:00 PM ET

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One of the most crucial seasons on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster in 2026 belongs to Payton Wilson. The 2024 third-round pick has all the potential in the world, and when he plays at his best, he truly elevates this defense. However, consistency has been an issue throughout his career. While Wilson has made some plays this season, he now leads the NFL in a not-so-ideal stat: missed tackles.

Sumer Sports has Wilson credited with a league-leading seven missed tackles in 2026. PFF also has him in the top 10, tied for ninth with five missed tackles. It’s unclear where the discrepancy between the two tracking services comes from, but one thing is certain: Wilson must clean this up.

Wilson’s Missed Tackles Need to Be Fixed

Wilson had 13 missed tackles according to PFF last season. It’s also worth noting that his snap count and usage declined sharply throughout 2025. Regardless, Wilson is on pace to easily surpass his missed-tackle total from last season. He is trending toward the 32 missed tackles his teammate Patrick Queen recorded last season, per PFF tracking.

Patrick Graham relies on his linebackers to play aggressively and make instinctive decisions. Wilson has shown that aggression this season. His performances through four games have been much better than his lows in 2025. Still, this is one area where the Steelers need Wilson to improve if he wants to continue playing aggressively at an impactful level.

Wilson Playing Aggressively, but Must Make Routine Plays

Sep 13, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson (41) takes the field to play the Atlanta Falcons at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Wilson has recorded an incredible nine run stuffs through four games, according to PFF tracking. If he maintains that pace, he will easily surpass his 32 run stuffs from last season. This is the type of production Steelers fans wanted to see from Wilson.

It hasn’t been perfect, though. Wilson must make routine plays more routinely. Tackling and wrapping up the ball carrier are basic fundamentals, and failing to execute them can quickly derail a defense’s efforts.

His best performance of the season, which also showcased both his ceiling and his flaws, came in Week 1. Against the Falcons, Wilson posted an outstanding 85.9 run-defense grade while recording six tackles and four run stuffs. However, he also had three missed tackles that could have made an already strong performance even better.

It all comes back to consistency. Wilson’s play has improved from 2025 so far this season. He’s not necessarily on pace to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year, but Wilson is showing that he can progress and grow his game.

He just needs to be… consistent.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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