The Pittsburgh Steelers have activated four players from the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday, the team announced.
Activated from the list on Saturday morning were quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, inside linebacker Vince Williams, running back Jaylen Samuels and tackle Jerald Hawkins and all four players are now available to play on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
All four players were added to the Reserve/COVID-19 list earlier in the week after they were deemed high-risk close contacts with tight end Vance McDonald, who returned a positive test for the virus Monday. McDonald remains on the team’s Reserve/COVID-19 list and he will not play on Sunday against the Bengals.
The team has said all week that they expected Roethlisberger to be cleared on Saturday. Williams as well. All four players are now expected to take part in an extended team walk-through on Saturday to better prepare for Sunday’s home game against the Bengals.
“We do expect him to come off the list,” said Tomlin of Roethlisberger on Friday after practice. “We have that expectation because this week has gone according to plan in terms of his place in the procedure. If he comes off of the protocol, we are going to have an extended walkthrough tomorrow just to give him an in-helmet perspective on some of the situational things, to put the finishing touches on our work, to allow him to work with the eligibles that he will work with in game, to have any necessary informal conversations that allow us to have a level of comfort as we push into play.”
Roethlisberger stayed updated with the coaches and his teammates remotely while he was quarantined.
