Steelers Get Huge Boost as Minkah Fitzpatrick Returns from Injury

Alan Saunders |

Updated: Dec 6, 2024

Steelers FS Minkah Fitzpatrick — Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick at practice on Oct. 25, 2023. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

PITTSBURGH — Both Pittsburgh Steelers free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and inside linebacker Elandon Roberts both made their return to practice at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Wednesday as the team continued its preparation for its Week 18 game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Fitzpatrick has been out since suffering a left knee injury during the team’s Week 15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 16. The Steelers have not listed an official diagnosis or prognosis for Fitzpatrick, but he ran on his own during practice last week, and head coach Mike Tomlin said on Monday that there’s a chance he would be able to play this week.

“Elandon Roberts we’ll play day-by-day and see where it leads us in terms of his availability,” Tomlin said. “Same with Minkah and Trenton Thompson, don’t really know where we are right now. I’d be speculating. We’ll start first with partial participation on all three and check the quality of their participation and maybe it increases or decreases based on what we see day-to-day, and we’ll push through the week the way that we normally do.”

Fitzpatrick and Roberts did not practice on Tuesday. The team has not yet released an injury report for Wednesday, but their presence in the early portion of practice makes it seem likely those players will at least be listed as limited participants on Wednesday.

The Steelers will have one more practice on Thursday before their game against the Ravens, with a playoff spot potentially on the line. They will make their final injury designations for the game Thursday afternoon.

With Fitzpatrick, Thompson and Keanu Neal out and Damontae Kazee suspended, the Steelers have turned to practice squad safety Eric Rowe the last two weeks. Rowe, in his ninth NFL season, has played alongside Patrick Peterson, who moved from cornerback to safety.

It’s been a brutal season for Fitzpatrick, who also missed time with a hamstring injury and played through a broken hand.

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