The trade for veteran safety Kyle Dugger has really paid off for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Not only has he solidified the secondary, giving Pittsburgh a dependable safety in place of the injured DeShon Elliott, he’s found himself around the football quite a bit in his first few games, too.
After coming up short on a pair of potential interceptions last week against Los Angeles and then early Sunday against Cincinnati, Dugger cashed in on another opportunity in the third quarter, stepping in front of a Joe Flacco pass and racing home 74 yards for the pick-6, giving Pittsburgh a 20-9 lead.
Take a look at Dugger’s first interception as a Steeler.
As our own Alex Kozora noted, the pick-6 from Dugger puts him in great company in Steelers history. The last three Steelers safeties with pick-6s are Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu, perennial All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick, and now Dugger.
The last three #Steelers safeties to record a pick-6:
Troy Polamalu
Minkah Fitzpatrick
Kyle Dugger
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) November 16, 2025
With the Steelers down quarterback Aaron Rodgers due to a left hand injury and backup Mason Rudolph in the game, the Steelers needed a splash from the defense. Dugger stepped up in a major way. That’s what he’s done since joining the Steelers, stepping into the starting lineup immediately under defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and providing real consistency and leadership for the secondary that has undergone major changes since the offseason.
That was Dugger’s first interception since Week 9 of the 2023 season when he recorded an interception against Washington. After being in and out of the lineup in New England due to coaching decisions and a messy fit with Mike Vrabel, Dugger has thrived in his role in Pittsburgh.
His pick-6 gave the Steelers a significant spark, and has Pittsburgh holding a two-score lead entering the fourth quarter of a must-win game.
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