The Steelers have locked down another young piece of their defense, and this one comes with a hefty price tag.
Pittsburgh has agreed to a four-year, $72 million extension with interior defensive lineman Keeanu Benton, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The deal will pay Benton $18 million per year and makes him the highest-paid player at the position in franchise history.
Defensive tackle Keeanu Benton and the #Steelers have agreed to a four-year, $72M contract extension, sources say. This deal, worth $18M per year, will make Benton the highest paid DL in Steelers history.The deal was negotiated by agent Joe DiBenedetto of @1OF1FOOTBALL. pic.twitter.com/TnfTWh5NkQ
Talk between Benton and the team had picked up earlier in June, near the end of the offseason program, after Pittsburgh already handed out four-year extensions to two other members of its 2023 draft class: Nick Herbig at $100 million and Darnell Washington at $42 million.
The sides needed some time to finish the deal, but Benton is now secured for the long haul and firmly positioned as a core part of the defense.
Benton, a former second-round pick and a former Wisconsin teammate of Herbig, just put together a career year. He posted 5.5 sacks in 2025, the best mark of his career, and has appeared in 51 games for Pittsburgh.
The new contract also arrives as Benton is set to take on more defensive end work in a new system under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. That shift should give him more chances to pressure the quarterback than he had while lining up as a nose tackle in the past.
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