Steelers Vets to Get First Preseason Work vs. Bills

UNITY TWP., Pa. — Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that all healthy players will play for his team in its second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday in his pregame press conference at St. Vincent College on Thursday.

Or course, Tomlin said that before the first preseason game, too. But this time, he seems to mean it in a greater way.

First of all, more players are healthy. Defensive tackle Cam Heyward, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and safeties Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal have returned to practice in the three sessions in between the preseason opener last Friday night in Tampa and this Saturday’s test against the Bills.

In addition, outside linebacker T.J. Watt, cornerback Patrick Peterson, kicker Chris Boswell and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who were not injured but nonetheless held out last week, are also expected to suit up.

“We expect to play all healthy players,” Tomlin said. “I am excited to see some players that we held out last week, guys like Cam, T.J., Minkah, Pat P, Joey Porter Jr., Keanu Neal, Kazee, are some guys who didn’t play last week who are scheduled to play.

“Looking forward to watching those guys, particularly the guys who are new to the NFL like Joey or new to us like Keanu and Pat.”

The Bills are also expected to play most of their stars, including quarterback Josh Allen, so the Steelers and Bills should get a long preseason look at the first teams going up against one another on Saturday night.