For the third straight week, the Pittsburgh Steelers did not activate RB Anthony McFarland Jr. from injured reserve to the team’s 53-man roster. That means he will not play in tonight’s game against the Tennessee Titans.
Due to a knee injury, McFarland has been on IR since Week Two after appearing in the team’s opener against San Francisco. Pittsburgh opened his practice window on Oct. 16, the same day as WR Diontae Johnson, but McFarland’s progress has been much slower. Johnson returned to the 53 almost immediately, activated for the team’s Week Seven win over the Los Angeles Rams. McFarland continues to wait.
Since being designated to return, McFarland has practiced fully on most days. He was listed as a limited participant Monday but that was an estimated report. The team did not actually hold a practice. He was listed as full go on Tuesday and Wednesday. Because he is on IR, there was no requirement to give him a game status on the team’s final injury report.
Wednesday evening, the Steelers announced they activated DL Cam Heyward from IR after suffering a groin injury in Week One. He will play tonight against Tennessee. That’s the only roster move the Steelers made ahead of the game.
McFarland’s 21-day window to be activated will soon end. The team will have to make a decision on him in the coming days or else he will have to spend the rest of the season on injured reserve and barred from returning.
One piece of good news is FS Minkah Fitzpatrick was not placed on IR today. While there’s nothing preventing the team from doing that later, if the team deemed his hamstring injury serious enough to warrant an IR stint, he likely would’ve landed there today. Still, when he will return is uncertain and he could miss more than just tonight’s game. Pittsburgh takes on the Green Bay Packers in Week 10.
