The Pittsburgh Steelers have consistently boasted one of the NFL's better defenses under longtime head coach Mike Tomlin's tutelage. He seemingly prides himself on upholding the standards set by the iconic Steel Curtain of Mean Joe Greene and Co. We've seen this identity rub off on the rest of the franchise over the years, including the team's new safety, Juan Thornhill.
Thornhill spoke with reporters after Day 12 of Pittsburgh's training camp and made headlines for what initially seemed like a throwaway comment. He declared that the 2025 Steelers could ultimately go down as an all-time great defense, which felt harmless. However, doubling down on his eye-opening, naively bold take raised eyebrows and unnecessarily added pressure to an organization already chock-full of it.
Juan Thornhill thinks this Steelers defense could be "one of the best of all time." pic.twitter.com/HKpWH9tF3e
— Still Curtain (@StillCurtain) August 6, 2025
Juan Thornhill makes Steelers a walking target with scorching hot take
"I think [this defense] can be one of the best of all time," Thornhill said. "And I'm putting that in the air now ... we've got pieces everywhere. Look at the roster, look at who we have; it's incredible."
There's a fine line between confidence and cockiness, and Thornhill is certainly toeing it. This Steelers stop unit is undeniably loaded with top-end talent on all three levels. Unlike clubs around the league, it's hard to even find a hole on their depth chart, which Thornhill mentions. Yet, Pittsburgh was firmly in the crosshairs of the media and fans alike before his remarks. Heightened expectations are the last thing they need ahead of the upcoming campaign.
"I don't feel like there's a weakness on the defense," Thornhill voiced. "Most teams have that fish out there...We have a front that's unbelievable, linebackers are great and [defensive backs] that can cover anyone."
Humblebrag. Instead of taking the high road and providing the typical coachspeak response ingrained in players, Thornhill went above and beyond to exude faith in Pittsburgh. Maybe he's trying to pump up his teammates and establish himself as a locker room leader. Or maybe the 29-year-old genuinely believes there is a historically high ceiling to this group. Either way, affirms the Super Bowl or bust mindset the Steelers have operated under this offseason.
Pittsburgh finished eighth in defensive DVOA last season, according to FTN data, and has the potential to be even better this year. So, Thornhill isn't completely off-base. Nonetheless, he's giving off massive Vince Young energy. The infamous draft bust declared the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles a "dream team" before finishing 8-8 and missing the playoffs. That's a realistic outcome for the Steelers.