Ahead of their Saturday night Wild Game tilt against the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin offered an injury update on the health of the team. During his weekly press conference, he offered clarification on Cam Heyward and Mason McCormick’s status.
“Cam Heyward is sick,” Tomlin said Monday via the team’s YouTube channel. “I think he stated so after the game. Gave him the day off to in an effort to put that behind him as we lean in on this game. Mason McCormick has a broken hand. He’ll be sized for a cast and/or a brace and checked for functionality there. His participation and the quality of his participation will kinda be an indication of his potential availability as we push forward.”
Tomlin said CB Donte Jackson, who missed Week 18 with a back injury, “feels good” this morning but will be monitored throughout the week. Tomlin also noted the team is dealing with bumps and bruises to other players but didn’t specifically name anyone and doesn’t believe it will impact their availability for the Ravens game.
Postgame Saturday night, Heyward told reporters he came down with the flu 24 hours before the Bengals game. Though he only logged 65 percent of the Steelers’ defensive snaps, he was effective with three pass breakdowns and one pressure that turned into a Nick Herbig sack.
RB Najee Harris was checked for a concussion but returned to finish the regular-season finale against the Bengals. McCormick left due to a hand injury. Following Saturday’s game, Tomlin said he didn’t have a clear evaluation as to the seriousness of the injury. Second-year lineman Spencer Anderson finished the game. It’s unclear who will get the nod for the playoff game. Linemen have played with clubs and casts before, but it limits their effectiveness, putting McCormick’s status in serious question.
The only Steeler who didn’t play in Week 18 due to injury was CB Donte Jackson, sidelined by a back injury he’s battled throughout the season. CB Cory Trice Jr. got the start and majority of the snaps, only briefly splitting reps with CB James Pierre.
Last week, LB Cole Holcomb (knee), WR Roman Wilson (hamstring), and DL Logan Lee (calf) returned to practice after being sidelined for most or all of the season. Holcomb remains on Reserve/PUP while Wilson and Lee still sit on injured reserve. Any of these players could be activated to the 53-man roster ahead of Saturday’s game. With two additional IR-to-return slots created for the postseason, it’s possible other players on injured reserve return to practice. That list includes rookie OT Troy Fautanu, who has been out since September with a dislocated knee cap.
Pittsburgh got healthier toward the end of the season. WR George Pickens, DL Larry Ogunjobi, SS DeShon Elliott, WR Ben Skowronek, QB Justin Fields, and CB Joey Porter Jr. all returned over the final two weeks though that didn’t help the Steelers break their losing streak.
The Steelers will release injury reports Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
