Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety DeShon Elliott did not hold back on Pro Football Focus during a recent appearance on Cam Heyward's Not Just Football podcast.
"F**k PFF. They don't know football, bro," Elliott said. "We talking about real football, cut on the tape. PFF is bullshit. They trying to reference that when it comes to contracts, like man, cut on this tape. We not going for that."
Elliott is not the first Steeler or NFL player to rip PFF. PFF's player grades are usually what really gets under players' skins because the evaluators don't know a team's internal play calls or specific player assignments.
Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety DeShon Elliott at practice on July 30, 2026. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Elliott has been limited at training camp so far, as he's still recovering from last year's season-ending hamstring injury.
Elliott tore his hamstring completely off the bone after hyperextending his knee during a Week 8 primetime loss to the Green Bay Packers. Elliott had to get surgery to reattach the tendon.
Elliott talked about his recovery after a training camp practice on Aug. 4.
"I think I'm coming up on nine and a half, 10 months [in my recovery]. Obviously, with me being a competitor, sometimes I get frustrated with [sitting out]. I love ball," Elliott said. "I feel good, explosive, cutting, making plays. Shit, I feel really great. It's a process. I'll be ready Week 1. I think next week I'll ramp it up a little bit more."
Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy said "there's no reason" to push Elliott.
"We're just being smart there," McCarthy said.
Elliott, who turned 29 in April, is in his eighth NFL season and third with the Steelers. He signed a two-year, $12.5 million contract extension last offseason that will keep him in Pittsburgh through 2027. He's played in 19 games in black and gold, starting all of them.
The post Steelers Safety DeShon Elliott Has Strong Words for PFF appeared first on Steelers Now .
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