The Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Cincinnati Bengals Monday night at Heinz Field and both teams will be looking to notch their first win of the 2019 regular season in that contest. Both teams are dealing with injuries ahead of that Monday night game and on Wednesday head coach Mike Tomlin provided a general update on Steelers players currently dealing with ailments.
Tomlin first stated that in addition to losing starting tight end Vance McDonald (shoulder) early in the second quarter of the team’s Sunday road loss to the San Francisco 49ers due to a shoulder injury that backup tight end Xavier Grimble (undisclosed) was also lost to injury later in the game.
Tomlin went on to say that McDonald and Grimble are both essentially starting this week off listed as questionable for the Monday night game against the Bengals along with outside linebacker Anthony Chickillo (foot) and inside linebacker Vince Williams (hamstring). Tomlin also said Wednesday that fullback Roosevelt Nix (knee) will likely miss another game Monday night due to the knee injury he’s been dealing with since Week 1.
“Rosie Nix is probably still out again this week with his knee injury,” Tomlin said Wednesday. “Some of the other guys that have missed time are more in the questionable category and their availability will be dictated by practice availability and the quality of their work in those practices. Those guys being Chickillo, Vance McDonald, Grimble, Vince Williams.”
Tomlin also updated the condition of cornerback Joe Haden (shoulder) on Wednesday as well even though he’s been playing through a shoulder injury the last few weeks.
“Getting comfortable with Joe Haden working through what he’s been able to work through,” Tomlin said. “He’s been available to us the last couple of weeks. It still may limit him at the early portions of the week from a practice participation standpoint, but like the overall direction of his health.”
Tomlin ended his Wednesday press conference talking about McDonald and him likely being able to play in some capacity Monday night against the Bengals.
“Let me say I’m optimistic about Vance being available to us in the game, but may be limited in some form or fashion,” Tomlin said.
The Steelers first injury report of Week 4 won’t be released until after Thursdays practice concludes.
