The Pittsburgh Steelers had until Wednesday, November 19, to activate Cory Trice Jr. from IR; however, the window passed. Now the third-year cornerback will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. Trice, who has been plagued with injuries dating back to his college career, didn't see the field for a single snap in 2025.
Trice suffered a hamstring injury during Pittsburgh's Friday Night Lights practice at Steelers training camp. This ailment caused him to begin his season on the IR-eligible to return list. When he finally seemed healthy enough to see the field, the team opened his 21-day practice window. Unfortunately, after logging just one full practice, Trice sustained a knee injury.
While the Steelers weren't forced to release specific details about Trice's knee, we can assume that it was this ailment that has kept him out of practice and ultimately closed the window on a potential return.
This is the second time in three seasons that Trice didn't play a single snap. The 2023 seventh-round pick missed his entire rookie season with an ACL injury suffered early at training camp. Now, he will miss his 2025 campaign due to a hamstring and knee injury. In 2024, Trice showed tremendous promise early in the season before a hamstring injury in Week 3 against the Chargers forced him to miss the next 11 games.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could move on from Cory Trice after the 2025 season
Nobody should fault the Pittsburgh Steelers for taking a swing on a cornerback with outstanding upside, especially with a seventh-round pick. At 6'3'' and 206 pounds with long arms, fluid hips, and excellent athletic traits, Trice paired his impressive physical profile with natural football ability and ball skills.
Had it not been for his extensive injury history since his senior year of high school, teams could have justified taking the Purdue product as high as the second round of the 2023 draft. But there's a saying around the NFL: injured guys stay injured. Sadly, this has been the case with Trice from high school until now.
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Since his senior year of high school, Trice has suffered two ACL injuries (one in each knee), a broken ankle, a sprained ankle, and multiple hamstring injuries. His latest is the knee injury that popped up early in his 21-day practice window.
The Pittsburgh Steelers still have Trice under contract for one more season in 2026, with a $1.16 million cap number, per Over the Cap. However, considering Trice has been healthy enough to appear in just six career games in his first three seasons, Mike Tomlin and the front office may choose to wash their hands of the oft-injured cornerback. Trice has proven he can't be counted on.
It's often said in football that the best ability is availability... and that's one ability Cory Trice Jr. doesn't possess. It's time to sound the alarm—this could be the end of the road for Trice in Pittsburgh.