PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Yahya Black started three games as a rookie, but played only 36% of the snaps. It would appear this season there is a bigger role for the big man. For starters, he’s a starter.
He’s also gained ‘leverage’ over the offseason to help him anchor the center of that line. The 6’5” nose tackle is listed at 330, that’s before he bulked up.
“That’s a big human,” said linebacker Payton Wilson. “He does a great job. It’s really hard to move him. If you are going to put big people in, we’ve got bigger people.”
Black is likely part of what would appear to be an upgraded depth on the defensive line. The Steelers signed veteran Sebastian Joseph-Day, who plays with a fire. It’s a contract year for Keeanu Benton, important for him to show well and then a group that includes Dean Lowry, who missed last season due to injury.
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He’s also not only learning from captain Cam Heyward, but another big man who is the new defensive line coach, Domata Peko. 15 years of experience including starting at nose tackle in the NFL, along with time at defensive tackle and end.
“The ability to anchor,” is what impressed first-year Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy. “He definitely moves better than I was aware of before I got here. So, there's a lot there to work with.”
“We are a three-four defense, that's our starting point and the ability to stop the run is always at the forefront of how you want to play, and definitely play in our division.
Black is a handful during one-on-one drills with the offensive line. Zach Frazier is an ascending center in the NFL and often gets that challenge during practice.
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“It’s been good,” Frazier said. “He’s definitely gotten a lot better. He’s a big guy. Excited for him, he’s going to be pushing a lot of pockets.”
That’s something the Steelers have consistently missed since Casey Hampton. Talk to players on those 2000s Super Bowl teams and they will tell you how valuable Hampton was to that defense.
Wilson sees that impact from Black in 2026.
“You can notice,” Wilson said. “When he’s in front of you, those guys aren’t climbing up too much. There’s not many people around that are as big as him.”
There is still growth, but with his extra ‘leverage’, gaining experience, better depth around him and a coach who played the position just over a handful of years ago, Steelers are counting on Yahya to help them to once again be a dominant defense. And it might just start with him.
2nd year defensive lineman listed as the starting nose tackle
2nd year defensive lineman listed as the starting nose tackle
