Steelers' Rookie Payton Wilson Credits Team Culture For First Career Touchdown

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in an absolute shootout to maintain control of the AFC North. Even though the offense was the star of the show in the team's 44-38 win, the defense managed to cause some key turnovers to turn the tide. Donte Jackson had an interception, and both of the Steelers' starting edge rushers managed to force a fumble from quarterback Joe Burrow. While the defense did not have a good day overall, they still made the big plays when they needed to. 

On the first strip-sack of the game, Payton Wilson made an attempt to scoop up the ball and run with it. Unfortunately, he could not handle the ball, but it luckily bounced into the waiting arms of Preston Smith. The Steelers still got the turnover that ended up changing momentum for them, but Wilson wanted a touchdown. He was not happy with himself for almost costing his team possession of the ball, but his coaches took that as a sign of competitiveness, and they still got excited for him, as Ray Fittipaldo reported.

"It was cool to me when I missed that first one," said Wilson. "I was a little disappointed in myself, but Mike [Tomlin] and [outside linebackers coach] Denzel [Martin] came up to me and said, ‘I see you, young pup, trying to make the big play.’"

As long as a player is putting his body on the line and trying everything he can to win, Head Coach Mike Tomlin usually won't have anything but praise for him, and he will continue to give that player every chance to make a play. Wilson's efforts pleased his coaches, and that near-mistake was not the last time Steeler Nation heard from Wilson on Sunday.

In the fourth quarter, Nick Herbig managed to get a second strip-sack from Burrow, and once again, the ball was right there for Wilson to take. He did not make the same mistake he did earlier. Instead of panicking and just falling on the ball to avoid disaster, he scooped it up and ran it back for his first career touchdown in the NFL. 

Wilson explained the reasoning as to why he tried to score a touchdown on both occasions, as opposed to just falling on the ball and securing possession.

"The culture here isn’t go dive on that ball and secure it. It’s instilled in us from the time we get here that to win these games, you have to make massive splash plays."

"Blitzburgh" has always thrived on splash plays that can completely change a game. Even in a game where the defense did not play well overall, those moments defensively ended up securing victory. The Steelers are second in the league in turnovers, only behind the Buffalo Bills. 

Steelers Have Always Demanded Defensive Touchdowns

In 2019, when Sean Davis went down with a season-ending injury, the Steelers wanted to take that opportunity and find the absolute ball-hawk that they had been missing since Troy Polamalu retired. They traded for Minkah Fitzpatrick, and they have reaped all the rewards from that deal. Fitzpatrick has been a turnover machine in centerfield... until everyone just stopped throwing the ball in his general direction the past two seasons.

Without that mentality, who knows if the Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII? Obviously, the fact that James Harrison intercepted a pass at the goal line was huge on its own, but most linebackers at the time were not built to run that all the way back. Despite that, the 2008 AP Defensive Player of the Year found just enough energy in him to run through the pile of blockers and potential tacklers for a 100-yard pick six. In a four-point win, that runback was very key to the win.

What do you think about Wilson praising the Steelers' culture for helping him return a fumble for a touchdown? Let us know in the comments.

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