The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week Six bye came at a perfect time, allowing the team to get healthy and recover from the multiple injuries it was dealing with heading into it. During his Tuesday press conference, Mike Tomlin noted the team is in a much better position health-wise.
“We had two guys that are IR that are now in the 21 day window for return,” Tomlin told reporters. “Diontae Johnson and Anthony McFarland. They’ll be working in a variety of capacities at various appropriate levels. We’ll let the quality of that participation and, and the amount of that participation coupled with conditioning being our guide in terms of activation, or no, this week. It’s a week-to-week thing. You get a 21 day window but you get opportunities at the end of the week. We’ll be assessing those guys, um, for inclusion or not.
WR Diontae Johnson and RB Anthony McFarland Jr. returned to practice Monday, opening up their 21-day window to return. Johnson has told reporters he expects to play this weekend. Tomlin said both will be working in a variety of capacities during practice this week but did not guarantee either will be activated ahead of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Tomlin said OG James Daniels and OT Dan Moore Jr. are trending in the right direction in addition to TE Pat Freiermuth, DL DeMarvin Leal, and P Pressley Harvin III. Freiermuth told reporters Monday that he will play while Leal cleared concussion protocol. The fact the team released P Brad Wing last week strongly suggests Harvin will return this weekend after missing the previous two games with a hamstring injury.
“We’ve got some guys who had lesser injuries who appear to be poised for various levels of participation as we prepare tomorrow,” Tomlin said about the above group. “Guys on the offensive line like James Daniels and Dan Moore. Tight end Pat Freiermuth, DeMarvin Leal, Pressley Harvin. So we’re excited about the relative health of our group as we get singularly focused on this next opportunity.”
Pittsburgh will play Los Angeles Sunday at 4:05 PM/EST.
