Payton Wilson Delivers Historic Second NFL Season with Steelers

Former NC State unanimous First-Team All-American linebacker Payton Wilson made quite the jump in his second year in the NFL.

Wilson finished the season with 126 tackles, the most on the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. He also added six tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, two sacks, two pass deflections, one interception, and one fumble recovery.

For perspective, Wilson’s tackle total is tied for the sixth-most in a single season in Steelers history.

Considering the franchise’s storied defensive legacy, that’s an impressive feat for a player in just his second NFL season.

Wilson’s snap count makes his production even more remarkable. He remains deployed more heavily in passing situations rather than as a full-time three-down linebacker. Despite playing 418 fewer snaps than Patrick Queen, who led the team in defensive snaps, Wilson still finished with six more tackles.

Entering the 2024 NFL Draft, teams labeled Wilson as “injury-prone.” Through his first two professional seasons, he has played in every game, firmly silencing those concerns.