Steelers Rule Out 7 Players vs. Seahawks

The Steelers have ruled out seven players against the Seattle Seahawks. Kenny Pickett leads that list of inactives and is not designated as an emergency third quarterback either. Mason Rudolph will start the game, and Mitch Trubisky will be his backup, with Pickett still sidelined with an ankle injury. Mike Tomlin said he wanted to give Rudolph a shot to build on his game.

“Mason played a really good game, and we want to give him an opportunity to maybe build upon that and us to build upon that. That was the reason why we inserted him into the lineup,” Tomlin said. “You know, we weren’t going to continue to do similar things and hope for a different result. We needed to produce more points, score more touchdowns. We were able to do that, and so I’m excited about the prospects of seeing what we can do in his second outing.”

Pittsburgh is also down two safeties and another linebacker. Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee), Trenton Thompson (neck), and Elandon Roberts (pec) will all be sidelined. In their place, Patrick Peterson, Eric Rowe, and Myles Jack will start. The rotation next to Jack is expected to be deep, with the Steelers using Mark Robinson, Mykal Walker, and Blake Martinez at different points throughout the game.

Meanwhile, DeMarvin Leal is inactive for the second straight week. He has found it tough to get playing time, but Isaiahh Loudermilk has officially taken over his spot on the depth chart. Cornerback Darius Rush and tackle Dylan Cook round out the list of inactives.

The Seahawks got positive news as DK Metcalf, Devon Witherspoon, and Kenneth Walker are all active. They will be missing crucial defensive pieces Jordyn Brooks and Mario Edwards, which could create opportunity for the Steelers offense in a must-win game for both teams.