The Pittsburgh Steelers have now released their first injury report of Week 13 ahead of their Sunday night home game against the Los Angeles Chargers and the Wednesday offering shows that seven players sat out practice earlier in the day.
Not practicing on Wednesday for the Steelers were quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (not injury related), safety Morgan Burnett (back), tackle Marcus Gilbert (knee), center B.J. Finney (personal), outside linebacker Bud Dupree (pectoral), center Maurkice Pouncey (not injury related), and tight end Vance McDonald (hip).
Of that group of seven players, Gilbert and Dupree are probably the two most in jeopardy of missing the Sunday night game against the Chargers. Gilbert has missed the team’s last five games with his knee injury while Dupree was injured during the team’s most recent game against the Denver Broncos. Head coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday that there was a chance that Gilbert would return to practice this week in some capacity and that Dupree could be limited at the start of the week.
Roethlisberger and Pouncey were clearly given Wednesday off as a veteran day while McDonald was sidelined with a hip injury he suffered during Sunday’s road loss to the Broncos. Burnett was not listed by Tomlin on Tuesday so it will be interesting to see if he and McDonald both resume practicing on Thursday.
Defensive end Stephon Tuitt (elbow), who has missed the team’s last two games with a right elbow injury, is listed on the team’s Wednesday injury report as being limited in practice. Tuitt said Tuesday night on his radio show that he expects to play Sunday night against the Chargers.
Steelers tight end Xavier Grimble (concussion) practiced fully on Wednesday. Tomlin said Tuesday that Grimble was in concussion protocol to start the week.
