{
  "id": 1938454,
  "title": "DeShon Elliott reveals how new DC Patrick Graham unlocks T.J. Watt",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/deshon-elliott-reveals-how-new-dc-patrick-graham-unlocks-t-j-watt",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-19T12:57:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/deshon-elliott-reveals-dc-patrick-125705746.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense is renowned for its talent, but staying ahead in the NFL demands ongoing adaptation. Enter defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, whose adaptable strategy is enabling the team’s star players to thrive. Instead of confining elite talent within a rigid structure, Graham is introducing a multifaceted system designed to keep opposing play-calling in doubt. During an appearance on “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward,” safety DeShon Elliott shed light on the transition, speaking to Graham’s installation of a modern defensive setup. With a barrage of talent at their disposal, Elliott explained, “Patrick Graham has opened it up and realized that we can be a multifaceted defense. We have so many players we can move around and plug in. And I think that right now with the way our defense is constructed, it gives us the ability to not be pigeonholed when it comes to how teams game plan against us.” A key aspect of Graham’s approach is equipping veterans with dynamic problem-solving skills. In contemporary defensive schemes, split-safety formations often leave defenses exposed against powerful run plays. Under Graham, Pittsburgh’s secondary is equipped with specific communication checks to neutralize those vulnerabilities in real time. “There’s a lot of tools that he gives us, moving all around, communicate with the safeties, just to be able to go out there and play free and not have to worry about too much,” Elliott stated. “You know, the split-high looks is a lot of trouble in the run game, we have tools to be able to cancel that out. When it’s Cover 3, we got the right rotations.” Moreover, Graham isn’t limiting pre-snap movement to the secondary; star pass rusher T.J. Watt will also enjoy diverse alignments to counter opposing pass protection schemes. By fusing pre-snap illusions with post-snap freedom, Graham’s defense looks primed to unleash Pittsburgh’s full potential this season.",
  "summary": "Pittsburgh Steelers safety DeShon Elliott reveals how new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will maximize star edge rusher T.J. Watt.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}