The Steelers go into today's game against the Arizona Cardinals with three of their top defensive players healthy and active for the first time since Week 1 of the season.
Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is back today after missing the last four games with a hamstring injury. It's the first time Fitzpatrick, Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt will be on the field together since the San Francisco 49ers game, after Heyward was injured in the second quarter of the game.
"It's exciting," said Fitzpatrick on Friday. "I didn't realize it was only one quarter (we fully played). I thought it was a game or two. But all of the pieces are back on the chess board.
"We're all 'A' players, so we should all be playing on an 'A' level."
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is happy to have all three available to him with December football now in full swing.
"I think it helps our defense when we have three quality players like that," said Austin. "I think we've got to get those guys better and playing, and if we get them all together and we're playing well and we continue with an upward trajectory, I think we're going to like it.
"We have outstanding players, and those guys are three of the best at their position in the league. If we have all three of them on the field together, we can only hope we play better."
The full list of the inactives is below.
Steelers Inactives
No. 2 QB Mason Rudolph (3rd QB)
No. 21 CB Darius Rush
No. 26 RB Anthony McFarland
No. 40 ILB Blake Martinez
No. 57 DT Montravius Adams
No. 60 T Dylan Cook
Cardinals Inactives
No. 0 WR Zach Pascal
No. 14 WR Michael Wilson
No. 24 CB Starling Thomas V
No. 33 CB Antonio Hamilton
No. 71 T Dennis Daley
No. 89 TE Blake Whiteheart
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