Winners of four games in a row and sitting at the top of the AFC North, the Pittsburgh Steelers are still being doubted by fans and media.
And former NFL head coach Jon Gruden has had enough, defending the Steelers on the Monday morning following their dominating 27-6 revenge win over the rival Cleveland Browns.
Jon Gruden Doesn’t Get Why People Still Doubt the Steelers
During the latest edition of Wake Up Barstool, Gruden went off once he heard Dave Portnoy label the Steelers as the only true fraudulent team from the division.
“You don’t win four straight games unless you’re playing good football,” said Gruden to open his rant.
“[The Steelers last 4] @ Browns, Colts, Bucs, @ Saints, Browns, but go off Coach. A real devastating schedule there” –@stoolpresidente
“I thought they might have a lingering hangover from playing in France, but they haven’t shown any signs of that. One thing I like about the Steelers is that they’re showing a lot of resilience as a team. They go down to Tampa, play poorly in the first half on a hot day, and still find a way to win in overtime. Then, they fly overseas to France and beat the Saints 16-10. After that, they hold the Browns to just seven points. This defense is way better than advertised,” he added.
Gruden then brought up the player who has sparked Pittsburgh’s success as much as any other.
Gruden Loves Watching Steelers RB Jaylen Warren
“And this running back, Jaylen Warren? Buy a ticket. He reminds me of a Charlie Garner-type player I used to coach, except he breaks more tackles. This guy is tough to bring down. And with Aaron Rodgers expected to get Michael Pittman Jr. back in the coming weeks, I think Pittsburgh is a little better than people realize.”
And while Warren’s emergence has been a driving force for the Steelers this season, Rodgers has also played at a winning level and the defense has performed at a level that makes them one of the top units in football.
Through eight games, Rodgers has completed 60.8% of his passes while throwing for 1,871 yards with 13 touchdowns to six interceptions. He threw for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdown passes in 16 games in 2025, although he did only give up seven picks all year.
Defensively, Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt and company generated eight sacks against the Browns and have allowed the sixth fewest yards per game in the entire NFL.
Gruden even argued he likes teams that win when Portnoy offered their “easy” schedule as an argument for why their recent streak doesn’t impress him. Pittsburgh will be able to prove themselves once they return from their upcoming bye week.
The Steelers will travel to Cincinnati for a Sunday Night Football showdown with the Bengals on Nov. 15 before facing the Eagles, Broncos and Texans throughout the next month plus.
Jon Gruden Sounds Off to Defend the Steelers From ‘Fraudulent’ Claim