The Pittsburgh Steelers finally received some incredible injury news earlier this week pertaining to an imminent return off injured reserve, but one insider believes fans should temper expectations when it comes to Week 5.
Appearing on a recent edition of 93.7 The Fan, Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo claimed that despite veteran safety DeShon Elliott seeing his injured reserve return window open on Thursday, the veteran safety likely will be ruled out for Sunday's game.
“Yeah, well, Deshon Elliott's window just opened yesterday," Fittipaldo said via Blitzburgh. "I don't think he's going to play on Sunday. He didn't do much at practice yesterday and was listed as limited, so I'd rule him out for tomorrow. But I think there's a real possibility
he's back for Tampa Bay, and if not Tampa Bay, then it would have to be the Saints game in Paris because they'll need to make a decision on him by that point. So I think Tampa Bay is a good possibility, but certainly by Paris, I think Deshon Elliott will be ready to go.”
Elliott, who joined the Steelers in March 2024 as a free agent, emerged as one of the league's top tackling safeties, in addition to making some huge plays for Pittsburgh in both pass coverage and run defense. Thanks to his stellar 2024 season, Elliott signed a two-year extension in June 2025. Unfortunately, he suffered a multitude of injuries during his second year with Pittsburgh, including a season-ending setback due to a hyperextended knee and hamstring tear.
Elliott began the 2026 season on injured reserve but appears to be nearing a return. As Fittipaldo pointed out, a Week 5 clearance may be too early, but we at Steelers Wire will provide an update on his status following the release of Friday's injury report.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers insider casts doubt on a big injury return in Week 5
