Payton Wilson

LB

#41

Experience: 3 years

Height: 6-4

Age: 26

Weight: 242 lbs

College: N.C. State

2026 SEASON

Solo
15
SCK
1
FF
0
INT
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Year

Season

Defense

Field Position

	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	PDEF
Opp 19-1 - by Yard Line	1	3	1	2	0	0
Opp 49-20 - by Yard Line	4	10	5	5	0	1
Own 21-50 - by Yard Line	4	19	9	10	1	0

Game Halves

	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	PDEF
1st Half	3	14	6	8	0	0
Last Two Minutes of Half	4	5	4	1	1	0
2nd Half	4	18	9	9	1	1

Home vs Road

	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	INT	TDS	YDS	AVG	LNG
Home Games	2	18	4	14	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Road Games	2	14	11	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Margin of Victory

	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	INT	TDS	YDS	AVG	LNG
Margin 0-7	2	18	4	14	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0

Point Differential

	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	PDEF
Ahead	2	16	4	12	0	0
Ahead by 1-8 Points	2	14	4	10	0	0
Ahead by 9-16 Points	1	2	0	2	0	0
Behind	1	4	3	1	0	0
Behind by 1-8 Points	1	3	2	1	0	0
Behind by 9-16 Points	2	7	5	2	0	0
Tied	4	5	3	2	1	1

Quarters

	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	PDEF
1st Quarter	3	8	4	4	0	0
4th Quarter	4	5	3	2	1	1
4th Quarter within 7	2	2	2	0	1	1
2nd Quarter	3	6	2	4	0	0
3rd Quarter	4	13	6	7	0	0

Stadium Surfaces

	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	INT	TDS	YDS	AVG	LNG
Grass	3	27	11	16	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Turf	1	5	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Fumbles

Field Position

	G	OPP FR
Opp 19-1 - by Yard Line	1	0
Opp 49-20 - by Yard Line	4	0
Own 21-50 - by Yard Line	4	1

Game Halves

	G	OPP FR
1st Half	3	1
Last Two Minutes of Half	4	0
2nd Half	4	0

Home vs Road

	G	FUM	LOST	FF	OWN FR	OPP FR	TD
Home Games	2	0	0	0	0	0	0
Road Games	2	0	0	0	0	1	0

Margin of Victory

	G	FUM	LOST	FF	OWN FR	OPP FR	TD
Margin 0-7	2	0	0	0	0	0	0

Point Differential

	G	OPP FR
Ahead	2	0
Ahead by 1-8 Points	2	0
Ahead by 9-16 Points	1	0
Behind	1	0
Behind by 1-8 Points	1	0
Behind by 9-16 Points	2	0
Tied	4	1

Quarters

	G	OPP FR
1st Quarter	3	1
4th Quarter	4	0
4th Quarter within 7	2	0
2nd Quarter	3	0
3rd Quarter	4	0

Stadium Surfaces

	G	FUM	LOST	FF	OWN FR	OPP FR	TD
Grass	3	0	0	0	0	0	0
Turf	1	0	0	0	0	1	0

Biography

PRO CAREER

Has played in 34 regular-season games (eight starts) in his two-year NFL career (Pittsburgh 2024-25)
Has registered 181 tackles (109 solo), 2.0 sacks, two interceptions, four passes defensed, six quarterback hits, nine tackles for loss, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries and one fumble return for TD
Has recorded 23 tackles (14 solo) on special teams
His 12 solo special teams tackles ranked tied for third in the NFL in 2025
Made NFL start in Week 4 of 2024 (at Indianapolis)
Made NFL debut in Week 1 of 2024 (at Atlanta)

PRO CAREER

Has played in 34 regular-season games (eight starts) in his two-year NFL career (Pittsburgh 2024-25)
Has registered 181 tackles (109 solo), 2.0 sacks, two interceptions, four passes defensed, six quarterback hits, nine tackles for loss, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries and one fumble return for TD
Has recorded 23 tackles (14 solo) on special teams
His 12 solo special teams tackles ranked tied for third in the NFL in 2025
Made NFL start in Week 4 of 2024 (at Indianapolis)
Made NFL debut in Week 1 of 2024 (at Atlanta)

2025 (STEELERS)

Played in all 17 regular-season games (four starts)
Registered 109 tackles (62 solo), 2.0 sacks, one interception, two passes defensed, four quarterback hits, six tackles for loss and one fumble recovery
Recorded a career-high 13 tackles (nine solo), two passes defensed and one interception in the Week 9 victory over Indianapolis
Intercepted a pass from Colts QB Daniel Jones at the Steelers' 31-yard line and returned it 17 yards to the Colts 14-yard line
Pittsburgh scored a TD to grab a 14-7 lead just two plays later (4:22 left in the second quarter)
Recorded another pass defense that led to the Jack Sawyer interception
Equaled his career-high with 13 tackles in Week 13 vs. Buffalo
Wilson has registered 17 tackles (12 solo) on special teams
His 12 solo tackles on special teams were tied for the third-most in the NFL in 2025

2024 (STEELERS)

Played in all 17 regular-season games as a rookie (4 starts)
Registered 71 tackles (47 solo), three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, six forced fumbles, two passes defensed, one interception, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries
Recorded a career-nine tackles three different times in 2024 (Weeks 5 at Cowboys, 7 at Jets and 18 at Bengals)
Picked off Ravens QB Lamar Jackson en route to an 18-16 victory in Week 11
Recovered two forced fumbles at Cincinnati in Week 13
Recorded a forced fumble in Week 18 vs. Cincinnati

COLLEGE

2023 Butkus Award (nation's top linebacker)
2023 Bednarik Award (nation's top defensive player)
2023 ACC Defensive Player of the Year
2023 Unanimous First-Team All-American (AP, AFCA, FWAA, Walter Camp and the Sporting News, along with CBS Sports, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, PFF, College Football Network, Bleacher Report)
Fourth unanimous consensus All-American in school history
Led the ACC and ranked fifth in the FBS in tackles with 11.5 per game
Boasted 17.5 TFL for the season - the 10th best mark in school history
Registered 138 total tackles
Recorded a pick six in the win over Clemson
Led the ACC in tackles for loss, ranked 10th in sacks and fifth in fumbles recovered
Named the ACC Linebacker of the Week for the UConn, Louisville, Marshall, Clemson and UNC games
Recorded 23 career double-figure tackle outputs, including nine in 2023

PERSONAL

Played outside linebacker at Orange H.S.
Tallied 266 tackles, 70 TFLs, 24 sacks and two interceptions
Registered 103 tackles, including 21 for loss and 10 sacks, plus a pick-six, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery as a senior
Also rushed 67 times for 222 yards and five TDs and pulled down 15 receptions for 263 yards and four TDs
Named the Raleigh News & Observer's Player of the Year and the Male Athlete of the Year/ Also named Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year
Selected to the U.S. Army All-American Game
Won a state championship in wrestling and also played lacrosse
No. 67 prospect nationally by 247sports.com
No. 4 outside linebacker nationally and No. 3 prospect in North Carolina
Brother, Bryse, is a pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers
Graduated in December of 2022 with a degree in education

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