Bill Cowher: Payton Wilson is 'smart, productive, tough' like great Steelers linebackers

What’s this? Didn’t former Steelers coach Bill Cowher believe it was anathema to say nice things about rookies? Maybe he’s mellowed. Because he definitely is gushing about a certain first-year linebacker.

Cowher really likes Payton Wilson, the Steelers third-round selection from April’s NFL Draft. It might be because he’s met the kid. Or he likes the tough way he plays. And it probably helps that the two are a couple of NC State guys. Wilson might’ve gone earlier in the draft if not for a couple of major knee injuries, then one to the shoulder. But he held together in 2023, enough so to win the Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defender. And then there was the Butkus Award, a dream honor for any college linebacker. No wonder the Steelers are high on what Wilson can do this season.

Here’s how the old Steelers coach analyzes the newest Steelers linebacker.

“His athletic ability speaks for itself,” Cowher told Steelers.com. “It’s off the charts. You see it in his play. Some people run fast, but they don’t play fast. Payton runs fast and he plays fast. He has great cover ability. It’s probably made more for today’s game than back even 10 or 15 years ago because it’s a very wide-open game. It’s a game of speed, angles, and understanding the concepts of football. He has all of that. He’s proven that the last couple of years with his productivity.”

Ex-Steelers coach isn’t worried about Wilson’s past injuries

Wait, there’s more. Cowher says Wilson “has a lot of physical attributes from a speed standpoint, from a coverage standpoint. He can play off the ball, he can play on the ball. He’s a smart kid, he can play a lot of different positions. If you’re smart, productive, tough and can run, those are great qualities that I saw with the linebackers with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has all those same qualities.”

Cowher isn’t worried so much about the injuries because Wilson can’t coming back from them while improving his play.

“He’s a very resilient young man,” Cowher said. “He’s been through a lot. All the injuries and he’s come back, having to prove a lot of doubters wrong. That little bit of a chip on your shoulder, my advice is don’t lose it. Take nothing for granted. My best advice is to seize every opportunity. Don’t worry about things you have no control over. Just go out there and be you. Play with confidence, play quick and play fast. Play physical. Be the same player he’s been his last two years, just at another level. “

Wilson calls Cowher one of his ‘idols’

Wilson calls Cowher one of his idols. Plus, he admitted that his grandmother, a life-long Steelers fan, has a crush on the old Pittsburgh coach.

“When I met him, I had to let him know that,” Wilson told Steelers.com. “Last year he came around a few times and just being able to speak to him and gain some knowledge from him, it was truly inspirational. Not just the fact that he’s one of the greatest coaches ever, one of the greatest to ever play at N.C. State, but it’s just the person that he is. Obviously, every single person knows who he is. But if you had no clue who he was, you would never know just because of how he presents himself and how humble and how well-spoken he is.”

Wilson calling Cowher one of his idols also touched the coach. “It’s very humbling to hear someone say something like that,” the ex-Steelers coach said. “It makes you feel proud about doing the right things. As people say, you never know who’s watching. Living your life that way and trying to do the right things, you don’t ever know what kind of impact you have on people, and sometimes you don’t even realize it till they say something about you. I’m flattered by it.”

So don’t mind them. They’re just a couple of Wolfpack guys talking football, albeit of the Steelers variety.