Steelers Add Promising Newcomer to Injury List

The Pittsburgh Steelers have added promising newcomer, wide receiver Ben Skowronek, to their injury list with shoulder discomfort.

Pittsburgh Steelers WR Ben Skowronek
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Ben Skowronek warms up before a game against the Denver Broncos is Sept. 15, 2024. -- Alan Saunders / Steelers Now

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Ben Skowronek is the latest player added to the team’s injury report by head coach Mike Tomlin on Tuesday.

Tomlin said that Skowronek was dealing with some shoulder discomfort after playing in the team’s Week 2 win over the Denver Broncos. Skowronek is on the Steelers’ practice squad, but he had been elevated to the active roster for each of the team’s first two games this season.

Against Atlanta in Week 1, he played 11 snaps, all on special teams, working as a punt gunner and on both kickoff coverage and return teams. Last week in Denver, he played 12 snaps of special teams over four phases, and recorded his first tackle with the Steelers. He also played six snaps of wide receiver, without receiving a target.

The Steelers signed Skowronek to their practice squad on Aug. 30 after he had been released by the Houston Texans. The 27-year-old is in his fourth NFL season, having spent the previous three with the Los Angeles Rams. He was traded along with a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Houston Texans for a sixth-round pick in May, but he was unable to crack a loaded wide receivers room in Houston and was released.

Players on the practice squad can be elevated to the game day roster three times without being signed to the 53-man roster. If he plays this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, he will need promoted to the active roster in order to play a fourth time.

The Steelers seemed to land some insurance in case Skowronek can’t play due to injury on Tuesday, signing cornerback James Pierre to the practice squad. Pierre was a significant special teamer for the Steelers from 2020-23 and had been with the Washington Commanders this offseason.

Pittsburgh Steelers CB James Pierre

PITTSBURGH STEELERS INJURY UPDATES

Player Injury Date  Prognosis Roster Status
TE MyCole Pruitt Knee Sept. 15 TBD Active
WR Ben Skowronek Shoulder Sept. 15 TBD Practice squad
LB Tyler Matakevich Hamstring Sept. 15 Four weeks Injured reserve
P Cameron Johnston Right leg Sept. 8 Out for season Injured reserve
QB Russell Wilson Calf tightness Sept. 5 Day to day Active
LG Isaac Seumalo Pectoral strain Aug. 28 Two weeks Active
SS Ryan Watts Neck stinger Aug. 24 Out for season Injured reserve
DL Logan Lee Calf Aug. 20 Two weeks Injured reserve
OLB Jeremiah Moon Right ankle Aug. 17 Two weeks IR-Return
OT Dylan Cook Left foot Aug. 17 Two weeks IR-Return
C Nate Herbig Torn rotator cuff Aug. 14 Out for season Injured reserve
OLB David Perales Left MCL tear July 31 Out for season Injured reserve 
WR Roman Wilson Left ankle sprain July 30 Day to day Active
ILB Cole Holcomb Left knee Nov. 2, 2023 Two weeks PUP/reserve
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