The Pittsburgh Steelers will be down a few key players in the Week 5 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, and here's what fans should know.
Courtesy of the team's final practice report for Week 5, we learned that the Steelers ruled out cornerback Jamel Dean, wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., and safety DeShon Elliott. Pittman was just placed on injured reserve, while Elliott returned to practice this week and was designated to return.
Dean, who spent his first seven years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, signed with the Steelers in March 2026. He picked up his ankle injury in Week 4 against the Cleveland Browns but was unable to practice in any capacity on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, ultimately leading to him being ruled out for Sunday's
game.
Traded from the Colts to the Steelers in March 2026, Pittman was red hot in his debut game with Pittsburgh, leading the team with 58 receiving yards in the Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons. He unfortunately suffered a foot injury and was ruled out in Week 2. Despite returning to action in Week 3, Pittman was failing to find separation, leading some to speculate that he wasn't playing at 100%. He reaggravated the injury in Week 5 practice and was subsequently ruled out for Sunday's game against the Colts. The Steelers added him to the injured reserve list less than 24 hours before the Week 5 matchup.
Elliott returned to practice and was designated to return from injured reserve after suffering a season-ending hyperextended knee and hamstring tear last year. Elliott was a limited participant on Thursday and Friday, leading the Steelers to err on the side of caution, opting to hold back the veteran safety from making his return at the moment.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers rule out 3 players for Week 5 vs. Colts, including starting CB
