While the Badgers in the Big Ten have gotten off to a rocky start, former Badgers in the NFL are absolutely cruising. The Pittsburgh Steelers, who employ four former Wisconsin defenders, were wrecking havoc against the Minnesota Vikings all game in their overseas matchup in Ireland.
In the 24-21 win, the former Badgers combined for 14 tackles, four sacks and an interception against Minnesota. Keeanu Benton and Nick Herbig each had 1.5 sacks, while T.J. Watt added another and also picked off Vikings' quarterback Carson Wentz. The trio was constantly in the Minnesota backfield, and prevented the Vikings from getting into any sort of rhythm.
Former Badgers lead Steelers to victory in Ireland
The Steelers, who have long been synonymous with a fierce defense, gave fits to the Viking offensive line, accruing six sacks. They added two interceptions, and held Minnesota without a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter. The Pittsburgh defense also got an incredible 14 quarterback hits on the day. It was a classic Steelers game, and much of it due to Badgers.
Wisconsin has had a strong NFL pipeline throughout the years, especially on the defense side of the ball. Watt, Benton and Herbig have now already combined for 7.5 sacks in 2025, and have their Steelers sitting pretty at 3-1. Across the league, former Badgers like the Steelers' trio, and running back Jonathan Taylor or linebacker Zack Baun, have gotten off to red hot starts this season and are giving Wisconsin fans a reason to cheer.