The Steelers collected 16 interceptions this season, along the way to 27 takeaways.
They tied for 11th in the league in interceptions and tied for eighth in the NFL in turnovers generated.
Along the way they demonstrated a flair for the timely and the dramatic.
Following is a look back at five of the most memorable interceptions from 2023:
1-Joey Porter Jr., Oct. 8, Baltimore, off Lamar Jackson
The Steelers had scratched back from a 10-0 deficit to within 10-8 but the Ravens were threatening to re-establish control on third-and-goal from the Steelers' 5-yard line with 4:10 left in regulation. A touchdown would make it a two-score game. A field goal would force the Steelers to score a touchdown to win.
A big play needed to be made.
Porter, a rookie cornerback from Penn State, made the play the Steelers had to have.
He lined up in press coverage opposite Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., made early contact to disrupt Beckham's release, played the remainder of the route as the coaches had instructed from a technique standpoint and eventually swallowed Jackson's ill-advised pass.
The play turned out to be the one that sparked the Steelers' drive for the game-winning touchdown, and perhaps the one that accelerated Porter along the path from six-defensive backs "Dime" defense contributor initially to regular assignments covering the other team's best receiver eventually.
"Really what we're doing is allowing Joey to earn his reps and earn the time and, you know, as he earns it through the things he does in practice and the things he does in the game, then he sees more during the game," defensive coordinator Teryl Austin explained days later. "And I think that's what you're starting to see.
"He's starting to get it, starting to grow, starting to get better."
2-Alex Highsmith, Sept. 18, Cleveland, off Deshaun Watson
Follow the bouncing ball.
The first offensive snap of the game turned into the Steelers' first defensive touchdown of the season thanks to Highsmith's ability to track deflections.
He initially lined up across from tight end Harrison Bryant in the right slot on first-and-10 from the Browns' 25. Watson's pass found Bryant on an out-route but the ball bounced off his hands to free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who had come off his coverage of tight end Jordan Akins on the throw. It appeared Fitzpatrick would end up with an interception but Bryant slammed into Fitzpatrick and popped the ball into the air again.
Highsmith collected it at the 30, stiff-armed Bryant at the 25 and outraced the rest of the Browns into the end zone.
It was a splashy play and it energized the team and Acrisure Stadium after a disappointing regular-season opener against San Francisco.
But it wasn't the type of play the Steelers expect Highsmith to make on a regular basis.
"Hey, we're appreciative of his coverage, but we pay him to get to the quarterback," head coach Mike Tomlin clarified in the wake of Highsmith's first career touchdown. "We change things up every now and then for balance. We'll ask him to drop. We'll ask (outside linebacker) T.J. (Watt) to drop but you guys know what they do.
"They're edge rush men."
And they're capable of providing bonus coverage.
3-Watt, Oct. 22, at Los Angeles, off Matthew Stafford
This time it was Watt's turn to drop and deliver.
The Steelers had surrendered a touchdown with 25 seconds left in the second quarter and had to kick the ball off back to the Rams trailing 9-3 to start the second half. But on first-and-10 from the Los Angeles 26 Watt lined up in a two-point stance across from wide receiver Ben Skowronek in the left slot, diagnosed a route by wide receiver Cooper Kupp across the middle, tracked the ball and grabbed it before it got to Kupp. Watt's return to the Rams' 7 positioned the Steelers to re-take the lead, which they did three plays later.
"Watch him read this," FOX color analyst Daryl Johnston emphasized. "This is unbelievable for an edge rusher. He's locked onto Matthew Stafford. He sees him trying to get it to the inside receiver, to Cooper Kupp.
"That is outstanding by T.J. Watt."
4-Damontae Kazee, Nov. 12, Green Bay, off Jordan Love
Safety Keanu Neal had intercepted Love in the end zone off a tip by cornerback Patrick Peterson with 3:32 left in regulation and the Steelers ahead, 23-19. But Green Bay had gotten the ball back and was threatening again. The Pack's last gasp came on second-and-10 from the Steelers' 16 with three seconds left in the fourth quarter.
The Steelers deployed seven defenders across the goal line behind a four-man rush. The Packers sent five eligibles toward the end zone. Kazee stepped in front of Love's pass down the seam for wide receiver Christian Watson at the 2 as the clock hit 0:00.
Tomlin took satisfaction in the Steelers' ability to rise to the occasion in multiple game-saving situations.
"We made the necessary splash plays on defense in the waning moments, when they got somewhat one-dimensional," he said. "They do a really good job of kind of keeping you off balance schematically and minimizing that young quarterback's exposure to a defense, but later in the game when it gets a little bit thick, I thought we would have our opportunities and we did and we made them, so excited about that."
5-Kwon Alexander, Nov. 2, Tennessee, off Will Levis
If at first you don't succeed. Cornerback Darius Rush had dropped what would have been a game-sealing interception on first-and-10 from the Steelers' 24 with 20 seconds left in regulation and the Steelers ahead, 20-16. But Alexander, playing as the lone inside linebacker in the "Dime," didn't make the same mistake two plays later.
Levis tried to hit tight end tight end Josh Whyle down the seam between Kazee and Rush on third-and-5 from the Steelers' 19 with 11 seconds to play. But Alexander got just enough depth and then was able to jump just high enough to get both hands up and pull the ball down at the 1 before he fell into the end zone.
"It's just a great job by Kwon Alexander in coverage," Amazon Prime color analyst Kirk Herbstreit maintained.
At the precise moment the Steelers needed Alexander the Great.
