Coach Mike Tomlin has always preached the importance of leadership in the locker room, and over the years the Steelers have not lacked in that area.

That is the case once again this year, where the team has a group of leaders who guide others in their own individual ways, whether it's leading by example with their actions or being a vocal leader who knows how to handle each individual situation.

They are the ones who make sure the Standard is the Standard, a value that has been instilled in all.

This year the Steelers selected their 2024 team captains based on those standards. They are players coaches can depend on. They are players teammates can depend on. And they are players who uphold what being a Steelers player is all about.

Steelers' players voted, and this year's team captains are quarterback Russell Wilson on offense, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward and linebacker T.J. Watt on defense and safety Miles Killebrew on special teams.

Wilson, who was signed in the offseason, is a Steelers team captain for the first time, but it's not the first time he has been a team captain. Wilson was previously a team captain with the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, his 12th straight year as a captain.

Heyward, who is in his 14th season, is a defensive captain for the 10th consecutive year, 2015-24. Only two players in franchise history have been selected as captain more than Heyward -- Ben Roethlisberger (13) and Sam Davis (11). Watt is a defensive captain for the fourth time in his career. Watt was also captain in 2020, 2022 and 2023.

This is the third time Killebrew was selected as special teams captain, previously earning the honor in 2022 and 2023.

The following are the Steelers' team captains who have been selected during head coach Mike Tomlin's tenure (since 2007):