The Steelers will be without multiple players tonight due to injury, including linebacker Nick Herbig, center Zach Frazier and running back Cordarrelle Patterson, all inactive after they were ruled out on Friday.
While the team will be without Herbig, fellow linebacker Alex Highsmith is active for the first time since Week 3.
Having Highsmith back should be a huge boost for the defense.
"When you have another quality rusher, they have to account for both of them," said defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. "Those guys face that all the time.
"I don't think it affects T.J. (Watt) because they're always going to be doing things to take care of him, and now that gives Alex some opportunities. If it does, it keeps an extra guy in the protection. That helps us in terms of not having so many guys out.
"So, we'll see how they approach the game. We'll see how much Alex is ready to do and if he's ready to do it."
Highsmith has missed three games with a groin injury, something that wasn't easy for him.
"It feels great. I'm just excited to get back out there this week," said Highsmith. "I'm feeling really good. In practice I was in good form. I'm just excited and ready to get back out there.
"It's been too long. First time in my career that I've missed a couple of games, so I'm not used to that. To get back out there with the guys, it's going to be an awesome feeling, especially primetime, Sunday Night, can't be better.
"I knew I couldn't rush it. I definitely don't want it to linger at all. And when I come back, I want to make sure it's 100% and I feel like it's there right now. I had to be smart with it because I don't want it to be something that is lingering throughout the rest of the season.
"I feel like it's in a really good place right now, so I'm ready to roll."
Watt is happy to have Highsmith back in the fold.
"He's had a great week of practice," said Watt before the injury report came out. "To get a vet like that back, I know he's eager to get back and just be able to balance out the pass rush. Obviously, he's also a phenomenal run defender, so if we can get him back, that would be great."
Jeremiah Moon will still be called upon to be part of the rotation at outside linebacker with Herbig out.
"Last week, coming in, the standard is the standard," said Highsmith. "I think those guys came in, provided some energy for us. Moon not only on defense, but a huge impact in the special teams game with that block.
"He has been in the league for a few years now. He knows what he is doing. To have a guy like that come in and be able to get some productive plays for us is huge."
The team also signed linebacker Ade Ogundeji to the 53-man roster from the practice squad on Sunday. Ogundeji was originally signed to the practice squad at the start of the regular season. He was promoted to the 53-man roster ahead of the Raiders game. Ogundeji played 16 snaps against the Raiders and finished with a pass defense. He was signed back to the practice squad after the Raiders game.
Ogundeji was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. His rookie season he appeared in 16 games, starting 11 of them. He finished that season with 33 tackles, a sack, a pass defense and a fumble recovery. In 2022 he started 16 games, finishing with 42 tackles and one sack. He missed the 2023 season with a foot injury.
With Frazier out, it will be Ryan McCollum who will make his second NFL start, his first at center with the Steelers.
"He's been good," said running back Najee Harris of McCollum. "He's very, very smart. His IQ of the games is very big. So, we weren't really tripping off of that because of his experience, just knowing his IQ of the game, making calls, doing things like that, the protection slides and whatnot that other people don't see. I think he does a good job of that.
"We're all excited for him, too. It's the next man up mentality. We all got to be ready for the next man to be up."
Tackle Dan Moore Jr. has nothing but confidence in what McCollum will do with his opportunity.
"It's the work that he's put in," said Moore. "I think he's earned the right to get his opportunity. I think he'll run with it for sure.
"He's done a great job during team development. Every time he gets in there, getting everybody on track. He's a really good leader. He's actually a vocal guy. I thought Ryan did a tremendous job playing, just leading the way."
McCollum spent the last two seasons on the Steelers practice squad, after being claimed off waivers from the Detroit Lions, where he played in 13 games, starting one. This week, McCollum will make his first start in a Steelers uniform.
"I'm very excited," said McCollum. "I've kind of been waiting for it. I've been preparing for it for the past four years of my career, so just excited to showcase my talents."
McCollum, who stepped in last week against the Raiders when Frazier was injured, approaches every week as if he is the starter, but this week he is getting the reps to match the mental approach.
"All the walk throughs, the reps and all the different looks I will be getting," said McCollum. "When I am not getting them, I just stand in the back and take mental reps because that's all the reps I'm going to get as a backup. But you've got to be ready to go because there can't be a dip whenever you go in."
The team also elevated receiver Brandon Johnson and running back Jonathan Ward from the practice squad to the Active/Inactive Roster for the game.
Johnson originally signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft. He spent time on the practice squad and active roster over the last two seasons. Johnson was also elevated for the Week 5 game against the Cowboys.
Johnson has played in 20 games, starting three, and has 25 receptions for 326 yards and five touchdowns. He played in 13 games in 2023, pulling in 19 receptions for 284 yards and four touchdowns.
Ward was also elevated for the Week 5 game against the Dallas Cowboys and Week 6 game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Ward took part in the Steelers rookie minicamp on a tryout basis and was signed following it.
In four seasons in the NFL, he has played in 43 games, carrying the ball 17 times for 69 yards, a 4.1-yard average. He also has six receptions for 52 yards, an 8.7-yard average, and one touchdown. Ward originally signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent following the 2020 NFL Draft. He spent two plus seasons with the Cardinals, before joining the Tennessee Titans during the 2022 season. He also spent the 2023 season with the Titans.
The full list of inactives is below.
Steelers Inactives
No. 4 QB Kyle Allen (3rd QB)
No. 10 WR Roman Wilson
No. 23 S Damontae Kazee
No. 33 RB Aaron Shampklin
No. 51 LB Nick Herbig
No. 54 C Zach Frazier
No. 84 RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson
Jets Inactives
No. 4 CB D.J. Reed
No. 14 WR Malchi Corley
No. 25 RB Izzy Abanikanda
No. 30 CB Michael Carter
No. 61 T Max Mitchell
No. 67 T Carter Warren
No. 91 DL Braiden McGregor
Bringing you the action: For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on mobile, plus NFL RedZone, NFL Network, live audio and more - all in one place.
