Few names split Pittsburgh’s fanbase quite like Patrick Queen. Is he a building block on defense or an expensive disappointment? Has the injury excuse worn thin, or does it actually explain the dip in production? Heading into 2026, those questions aren’t going away — and they might define how this season is remembered in Pittsburgh.
The Long Road to the NFL
Patrick Queen’s path wasn’t paved with five-star hype. Born August 13, 1999, in the small town of Ventress, Louisiana, he grew up as the youngest of four kids and played both linebacker and running back at Livonia High School. Major programs weren’t exactly lining up at his door — but Queen had already made up his mind. He committed to LSU without bothering to take additional visits elsewhere, a decision that says plenty about how he operates.
That decisiveness paid off. By his junior year in 2019, Queen had turned into one of the most disruptive defenders in college football — 85 tackles, 12 for loss, three sacks — and he closed the season by walking away with Defensive MVP honors after LSU steamrolled Clemson for the national title. NFL scouts took notice fast.
Breaking Into the League With Baltimore
Baltimore drafted Queen 28th overall in 2020, making him the first LSU product the Ravens had ever selected. He didn’t take long to make an impression — in just his fifth career game, he stripped the ball from former LSU teammate Joe Burrow, scooped it up, and took it 53 yards to the house. Not a bad way to introduce yourself to the league.
His best season came in 2023: a career-high 133 tackles, his first Pro Bowl selection, and second-team All-Pro recognition. Then, instead of staying in Baltimore, he made the surprising jump to a division rival — signing with Pittsburgh.
The Contract That Raised Expectations
Pittsburgh handed Queen a three-year, $41 million deal in the 2024 offseason — the richest free-agent contract the franchise had ever offered. That price tag came with pressure attached, and the early returns have been a mixed bag at best.
Queen played through all of 2025 dealing with an undisclosed injury, which likely explains a chunk of the criticism aimed his way. To his credit, durability hasn’t been the issue — across six NFL seasons, he hasn’t missed a single regular-season game, and he’s cleared 100 tackles in five of those years.
Where Queen’s 2025 Numbers Actually Landed
The stat line tells a rougher story than his reputation suggests:
| Category | 2025 Total | PFF Rank |
| Total Tackles | 120 | — |
| Solo Tackles | 56 | — |
| Sacks | 1.0 | — |
| Forced Fumbles | 1 | — |
| Missed Tackles | 31 | Most in the NFL |
| Overall PFF Grade | 44.0 | 78th of 88 LBs |
| Coverage Grade | 31.3 | 83rd of 88 LBs |
A 44.0 overall grade and a coverage grade barely above 30 are hard numbers to spin positively. Context still matters, though — an entire season spent playing hurt tends to show up in exactly these kinds of metrics.
Why Pittsburgh Didn’t Trade Him
This was the offseason’s biggest question mark, and the answer turned out to be: he’s not going anywhere, at least not yet. Dallas reportedly checked in on Queen’s availability, but the conversation never went anywhere close to a deal. Pittsburgh ended up paying his $2.5 million roster bonus instead, locking him into the 2026 roster.
The numbers explain a lot of that decision. Queen carries a $17.2 million cap hit this season. Trading him would have freed up roughly $10.8 million, but it also would have left a $6.4 million dead-cap charge behind — and Dallas’s reported offer of a mere third-round pick made the math even less appealing. Moving on from a 26-year-old still inside his physical prime for that little in return would have looked like selling at the bottom.
What Changes for Queen in 2026
There’s at least one real reason for optimism: Pittsburgh moved on from defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and brought in Patrick Graham instead. A new scheme and a different voice calling the shots can sometimes unlock production that a stale system had been holding back — not unlike restarting a machine that’s been overloaded for too long.
Queen is still only 26, technically in the prime years of his career. But the clock is real. If 2026 doesn’t bring a turnaround, Pittsburgh is likely to let him walk into free agency in 2027 rather than commit further. That makes this season less of a checkpoint and more of a final audition.
The Bottom Line
Patrick Queen isn’t the villain some fans have made him out to be, and he’s far from finished. He’s a linebacker who’s dealt with injuries, public criticism, and the weight of a record-setting contract — and through all of it, he’s never once missed a game. Whether 2026 turns into a redemption story or a quiet exit from Pittsburgh, it’s safe to say every snap he takes this season will be worth paying attention to.