The definition of an “Alpha” player can be different depending on who you ask, but you know one when you see one. All the top teams in the NFL have at least a few guys who are the tone-setters for the offense and defense, and the Steelers are no exception. No surprise, that the alphas of the Steelers roster all reside on the defensive side of the ball.

The Steelers have the most expensive defense in the NFL in 2024, and they have held that title since 2022. A big reason for that is needing to pay all of the talented players they have drafted/traded for in recent history. Their trio of alphas on defense that we will be discussing today count over $74 million against the cap by themselves, so they need to continue to be the backbone of the team in 2024.

T.J. Watt is the definition of an Alpha

Who else could I start with when talking about the alpha players on the Steelers? In fact, there are very few guys that would argue over T.J. Watt even if you had the whole league to choose from. Watt has been the most productive edge rusher in the NFL since entering the league in 2017, and nobody in NFL history is better at producing sacks on a per-game basis.

He is a three-time sack leader, six-time pro bowler, and four-time All-Pro selection. Oh, and he has a Defensive Player of the Year trophy to go along with three other top-3 finishes for the award.

If all of that wasn’t enough to get the point across, the Steelers have a putrid 1-10 record in regular season games Watt has missed in his career. You could make a strong argument that the Steelers would be better off losing their starting quarterback than losing Watt. We saw that play out in their playoff game against the Bills last season.

Part of that is the lack of talent they have had at quarterback recently, but still, the point stands. Watt is among the best players in the sport, and he is the Steelers’ leader in every way.

Cam Heyward is aging, but still an Alpha along the defensive line

Cam Heyward had a difficult season in 2023, missing six games and failing to produce much when he was on the field. He had been dominant in recent years, playing maybe his best football after turning 30. Father Time comes for everyone, however, and for Heyward, it could be soon.

You can excuse his lackluster play by blaming his hamstring injury, as it is one of the tougher injuries to play with for a trench player like him. Still, he is entering his age-35 season coming off his worst season in years.

Where he remains an alpha for the Steelers is in the locker room and as an example for young players. Heyward is a six-time nominee for the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year award, given to the player who best exemplifies being a role model off the field and works to help their community.

He finally won the award last season, something that clearly meant the world to him. Regardless of how well he plays this season and the rest of his career, Heyward will always be an alpha for the Steelers.