Alex Highsmith’s Quiet Dominance Is Getting Louder-And the League Is Starting to Listen
After the final whistle of the Steelers-Texans Wild Card clash, there was a moment that didn’t show up on the stat sheet but spoke volumes. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans-himself a former All-Pro linebacker and now the mastermind behind one of the NFL’s most ferocious defenses-sought out Steelers edge rusher Alex Highsmith with a message that cut through the noise.
“Man, they don’t talk about you enough,” Ryans told Highsmith. “You’re a heck of a player, brother.
Keep it going. I like the way you play the game.”
Coming from Ryans, that’s not just a pat on the back-it’s a nod from someone who knows exactly what elite defensive play looks like. He coaches Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, two of the most disruptive edge rushers in the league. So when he singles out Highsmith, it means something.
And Ryans isn’t wrong. Highsmith might not dominate highlight reels or command the national spotlight like some of his peers, but make no mistake-he’s been a force for Pittsburgh.
In 2025, Highsmith quietly led the Steelers in sacks for the first time in his career, finishing with 9.5 despite playing in just 13 games. Injuries have slowed him down at times over the past two seasons, but when he’s on the field, his presence is felt. He’s not just generating sacks-he’s consistently pressuring quarterbacks, setting the edge, and forcing offenses to account for him on every snap.
That kind of impact doesn’t always show up in box scores, but it shows up on film-and it’s catching the eye of coaches around the league.
Highsmith’s journey has always been about outworking the expectations. Drafted in the third round in 2020 out of Charlotte, he entered a defense already headlined by T.J.
Watt, one of the most dominant pass rushers of this generation. For years, Highsmith’s production was often attributed to playing opposite Watt.
But this season made it clear: he’s not just benefiting from Watt-he’s thriving on his own.
The clearest example came when Watt was sidelined against the Lions. Highsmith didn’t just hold the line-he took over.
With 2.5 sacks and a series of disruptive plays, he showed he could anchor a pass rush without leaning on his All-Pro teammate. That performance was a turning point in how he’s viewed-not just as a solid No. 2, but as a true game-wrecker in his own right.
Now, as the Steelers look to the future, Highsmith’s emergence presents an intriguing situation. If he continues to trend upward and stays healthy, Pittsburgh will have some big decisions to make. He’s already earned a contract extension, but the question becomes: how central is he to the franchise’s long-term defensive identity?
What’s clear is that people around the league are taking notice. When a defensive mind like DeMeco Ryans goes out of his way to praise a player, it’s not just coach-speak-it’s recognition. Highsmith may not be the loudest name in the room, but his play is starting to speak for itself.
And if Ryans says they don’t talk about Alex Highsmith enough, maybe it’s time we all start.