Steelers HC Mike Tomlin
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Entering Week 3, Steelers HC Mike Tomlin dropped a variety of injury updates.
Following a tough Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the Pittsburgh Steelers are back to work ahead of Week 3’s game against the New England Patriots. Sunday will be here quickly, giving those who are injured a finite amount of time to rehab.
As Tuesday arrives, head coach Mike Tomlin had a mixed bag of news on that front. Some players are doing well, whereas others will miss the third game of the 2025-26 campaign.
Mike Tomlin Starts Week 3 With Positive Progress Report on Injuries
Speaking to the media, Tomlin started with the positives. Safety DeShon Elliott, who suffered an MCL sprain earlier this season, is making progress. The same can be said for rookie defensive lineman Derrick Harmon (knee), as well as cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (hamstring).
None of those players are out of the woods, though.
“D. Elliott is improving, but I would characterize his availability as questionable at best this week,” Tomlin said. “Derrick Harmon, same thing. His work is improving, his health is improving, but he’d best be described as questionable along with Joey Porter, who continues to work. I just saw him back there a few moments ago. The same three guys who were out a week ago could best be described as questionable, but we’ll watch them throughout the week.”
Tomlin is keeping a close eye on Harmon, who didn’t practice last week. The first-round pick is still working his way back from an ailment he suffered in the preseason. Throwing him into the fire doesn’t make sense unless he’s 100% ready, Tomlin believes.
“We’ll certainly gauge their participation and the quality of the participation,” Tomlin said. “Particularly, the younger the player, the more significant that is. Harmon, obviously, would be stepping into his first regular-season action, so there’s a higher standard in terms of his availability. I think that’s appropriate in terms of putting him in position to perform, and perform well.”
Steelers Without Loudermilk & Highsmith for at Least Week 3
The rest of Tomlin’s injury updates can best be dubbed a double-edged sword. On one hand, Sunday injuries to linebacker Patrick Queen and veteran cornerback Darius Slay Jr. don’t seem to be holding them back. Tomlin will exercise caution with them in practice, but they appear to be probable for Week 3.
Unfortunately, both defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk and linebacker Alex Highsmith will miss this weekend’s game. The former’s absence will stem beyond the Patriots game. The Steelers dodged a bullet with Highsmith not having to go on injured reserve, but it’s still a bummer for the team that he’ll be out.
“Loudermilk will be out, he has a high-ankle sprain,” Tomlin said. “That could be described as weeks. Alex Highsmith, he has a lesser significance, but at the same time, he has an ankle sprain as well. He could be described as out as well. We had some guys that got banged up in-game that may limit them at the early portions of the week but should not eliminate them from participation. Some of those guys include Patrick Queen with an oblique and Slay with a shoulder.”
That’s a lot to account for. As Tomlin frequently reminds Pittsburgh, it’s time for the next man to step up.
“So as you can see, a lot of those guys are and have been defensive players, but oftentimes it happens like that in football,” Tomlin said. “It’s our job and their job to adapt and adjust, to put together the appropriate formula in terms of mixes of people, how we divide the labor up and what we do schematically. Really excited about it.”