Veteran safety DeShon Elliott isn’t dealing with an ailment. However, he’s technically on the Pittsburgh Steelers injury report and considered questionable for the Week 7 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night.
Elliott didn’t practice Tuesday or Wednesday (a walk-through). According to Steelers Now’s Alan Saunders, Elliott sat out Tuesday for rest. Defensive veterans Jalen Ramsey, Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt all also missed Tuesday’s practice due to rest.
But Ramsey, Heyward and Watt each participated Wednesday while Elliott didn’t. According to the Steelers official injury report, Elliott missed Wednesday’s session due to personal reasons.
Saunders also reported Wednesday that the safety didn’t travel with the team to Cincinnati.
Officially, the Steelers have Elliott listed as questionable for Thursday Night Football.
Elliott is the only Steelers player who didn’t practice Wednesday who could still play in Week 7. Fellow safety Miles Killebrew and wide receiver Calvin Austin III both didn’t practice all week. The Steelers ruled out both players for the Bengals matchup.
Steelers’ DeShon Elliott Questionable for Week 7 Due to Personal Reason
With Elliott questionable, it’s natural to think the safety suffered either another injury or a setback with his previous knee issue. Elliott left Week 1 with a knee problem. The safety then missed Weeks 2 and 3 because of his knee.
After returning in Week 4, Elliott described how grateful he was to be back because he initially thought the knee injury was going to end his 2025 season.
But Elliott played the past two games and emerged from Sunday seemingly healthy. On Sunday evening and Monday, head coach Mike Tomlin described Killebrew as the only Steelers player dealing with a new serious injury.
But Elliott could miss Week 7 due to personal reasons.
If Elliott can’t play, the Steelers will be missing two safeties. The good news, though, is Killebrew is a special teams ace and wasn’t used on defense when Elliott missed Weeks 2 and 3.
Should Elliott not play Thursday, fellow veteran safeties Chuck Clark and Jabrill Peppers should see more playing time.
Last week, Clark was a healthy scratch for the Steelers. In four games, he has 25 combined tackles, including one tackle for loss.
Peppers joined the Steelers after Week 1. He has seven combined tackles and one fumble recovery in four games this season.
Elliott has posted 24 combined tackles, including one tackle for loss and two quarterback hits in three 2025 contests. He also has two pass defenses, one forced fumble, one sack and one interception.
Steelers Will Be Without WR Calvin Austin III Against Bengals
Along with Elliott, linebacker Malik Harrison is questionable for Week 7. But on offense, Austin will miss his second consecutive game.
Austin suffered a shoulder injury during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings on September 28. He hasn’t played since leaving the field.
Austin has avoided injured reserve. But after he couldn’t dress Sunday, which was two weeks since the injury, it’s not shocking he won’t be ready to go four days later.
The 26-year-old wideout has 10 catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns in four games this season. He’s averaging 13.9 yards per catch in 2025.
The Steelers haven’t placed Killebrew on injured reserve either. But Tomlin ruled out Killebrew while speaking to the media Monday.
The special teams ace suffered a knee injury on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. Tomlin called the ailment “significant.”
