Steelers mostly healthy, but COVID-19 concerns loom
Headed into Week 9 against the Bengals, it appears the Steelers will have some needed players returning after a stint on the injury list.
Having players returning to the field is always good news. The bad news is that COVID-19 hit the Steelers this week after Vance McDonald tested positive. As a result, some players could miss this Sunday’s game if they test positive by Saturday. Unfortunately, the list includes Ben Roethlisberger.
COVID aside, Steelers fans got a scare when a pair of Cowboys defenders hit Roethlisberger shortly before the second quarter, causing him to twist his knee. Fortunately, he only missed the final drive of the quarter as he went to the locker room early to have his knee checked out. Results came back negative for anything serious, and he finished the contest with another game-winning drive and fourth-quarter comeback to his credit.
Though the Steelers barely got past Dallas, it’s good to know that players will return against the Bengals. Derek Watt returns following his hamstring injury after missing substantial game time. Mike Hilton is also on track to return; however, it’s worth noting he was limited in Thursday’s practice. He would be a most welcomed addition to the secondary. Even Tyson Alualu could return after logging two straight days of limited practice. Considering the vast amount of rushing yards the Steelers have allowed in the last two weeks, his return should help solidify the run against opposition this week.
Steelers COVID-19 Update
Vance McDonald had clearance to play against the Cowboys as he had not tested positive prior to the game. However, he ended up testing positive after the game. Vance will not play this week against the Bengals. The Steelers, however, named four other players to their COVID reserve list. While the list includes Ben Roethlisberger, Jerald Hawkins, Jaylen Samuels, and Vince Williams, it does mean they will miss Sunday’s game.
Per NFL protocol, they must test negative through Friday for clearance to practice Saturday. So as long as they test negative through the weekend, they should return against the Bengals. The Steelers flagged these four players due to contact they had with Vance Mcdonald. So the good news is they all can potentially return. However, if any do not, then the Steelers’ unbeaten record may be in jeopardy. Mike Tomlin addressed this on Tuesday with the other injuries. He stated if Ben can not play they will work with both quarterbacks and make a decision as to whether Mason Rudolph or Joshua Dobbs meets their needs against the Bengals.
Fortunately, with no new injuries in the Cowboys game, the Steelers appear to be a pretty healthy team at the moment. However, we will have to take a ‘wait and see’ approach when it comes to the players on the COVID-19 list. As always, you can check the latest updates for all injuries to both the Steelers and Bengals.