There’s some positive news to pass along on this Friday when it comes to Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt, who has been on the team’s Reserve/Injured List since the beginning of the regular season.
On Friday, Tuitt, who didn’t participate much in training camp this year and who was largely absent from the team’s UPMC Rooney Sports Complex this past summer, was spotted at practice in a photo taken by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette photographer Matt Freed.
As you can see in the picture from Freed, Tuitt, who has been dealing with a knee injury, is wearing big brace. He does look quite good physically, however.
Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler hinted earlier this offseason that Tuitt might have some weight to lose as part of his trek back to the football field. The Steelers defensive end also reportedly needed some sort of procedure performed on one of his knees.
On top of everything else, Tuitt has also been dealing with the sudden and tragic loss of his brother, who died this past summer in a hit-and-run accident that his mother unfortunately witnessed.
Tuitt did not resume practicing this week as a designated-to-return player so he will not play this Sunday against the Denver Broncos. If Tuitt should have his 21-day window opened as a designated to return player next Wednesday, the odds that he would be able to play in the Week 6 Sunday night game against the Seattle Seahawks would still be low.
In reality, Tuitt’s 2021 debut might not happen until the first game after the Steelers Week 7 bye. At the very least, it does look like Tuitt will be back playing for the Steelers by the midpoint of the 2021 regular season.
