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It's safe to say that Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is pleased with what he has seen from his defense through three weeks of training camp. He recently shared his optimism in a uncharacteristically bold way. 

"We feel really good about the prospects of this group," Tomlin said Tuesday on 102.5 WDVE, via Sports Illustrated. "We gotta write that story, but we've got enough talent, we've got enough schematics to do big, big things. And when I say big things, I'm talking about historic things."

Tomlin's optimism is certainly understandable. This offseason, the Steelers set out to make improvements against the run and in their communication on the back end after yielding 299 rushing yards in their final game of the 2024 season, a 28-14 loss to the Ravens in the wild-card round of the AFC playoffs. Based on Tomlin's comments, it's clear that he feels that the Steelers have achieved those things and then some. 

Pittsburgh's defensive acquisitions this offseason include possible future Hall of Fame defensive backs Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey and fellow veteran defensive backs Juan Thornhill, Chuck Clark and Brandin Echols. The Steelers also acquired promising rookies in defensive linemen Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black and outside linebacker Jack Sawyer. These new acquisitions have joined a defense that already includes former Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt, former Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Queen, and All-Pro defensive tackle Cam Heyward. 

Not surprisingly, the play of Pittsburgh's defense was one of the main takeaways during the first week of training camp. One of the things that stood out immediately was the Steelers' utilization of Ramsey, who will start at free safety but will get to do a little bit of everything. Ramsey's quick impact during camp included an interception of Aaron Rodgers during the team's third practice. 

Along with Tomlin, Pittsburgh's defense has made a quick impression on new Steelers receiver DK Metcalf, who recently gave the unit the ultimate compliment. 

"I think they are the best defense I've ever seen," Metcalf said. "They're some dogs on the field and I tip my hat to them because they come to work every day. We don't have any choice but to get better."

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Tomlin knows a thing or two when it comes to coaching historically dominant defenses. In 2002, he was the defensive backs coach on a Buccaneers defense that recorded a Super Bowl record five interceptions during their win over the Raiders. That Buccaneers' defense featured four future Hall of Famers. 

In 2008, Tomlin presided over a Steelers defense that was No. 1 in the NFL in scoring, passing yards allowed and third down and red zone efficiency. That defense featured Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison (who returned an interception 100 yards for a score in that year's Super Bowl) and future Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu. 

While this year's defense has the potential to do historic things, there are some legitimate concerns. Specifically, age is a question mark as Pittsburgh has four starters over the age of 30, including the 36-year-old Heyward, who is currently staging a hold-in. Conversely, Harmon, Black and Sawyer will have to overcome the proverbial rookie wall. 

Tomlin rarely makes bold claims like this, and one memorable one backfired. He made headlines during the 2017 season when he said that his team "should win it all" prior to Pittsburgh's Week 15 showdown with the Patriots. The Steelers then lost to New England before getting upset by the Jaguars in the AFC divisional round. 

It's safe to say that Steelers fans hope that Tomlin's latest prediction ages better than that one. If that happens, it may not only result in a historically good defense, it may also lead to the Steelers snapping their eight-year drought without a playoff win.