Steelers Now
After returning to practice from reserve/injured list on Dec. 3, Pittsburgh Steelers rookie cornerback Donte Kent sustained a new injury that will cause him to miss the remainder of the 2025 season, the team announced on Friday.
The Steelers opened the 21-day practice window for Kent on Wednesday, and he participated in his first practice since training camp. Kent had an ankle injury at camp and spent a long time in a walking boot in the early portion of the season.
In that practice on Wednesday, Kent suffered a new knee injury, which could jeopardize his ability to return this season. The 21-day window cannot be adjusted, so Kent has just 20 days to recover and return to form from this latest injury, or he will be forced to spend the rest of the season on the injured reserve list.
The exact same thing happened to Cory Trice, who was on IR earlier this season with a hamstring injury. He suffered a knee injury in his first practice back and saw his 21-day window close without being activated as a result.
The Steelers could use the depth. With James Pierre still in the concussion protocol, and Darius Slay being waived on Tuesday, they’re down to just Joey Porter Jr., Brandin Echols and recently promoted Asante Samuel Jr. in terms of cornerbacks that are certain to be available this Sunday.
The Steelers selected Kent with their second pick in the seventh round, No. 229 overall, in the 2025 NFL Draft. A four-year starter at Central Michigan and three-time All-MAC honoree, Kent brings intrigue as a developmental prospect with notable athletic traits.
“I just have a dawg mentality,” Kent said about his ball-hawk traits. “That ball is my ball. My mindset is I’m going to go make a play on the football every pass thrown my way.”
Kent’s brother, Desmond, played at Robert Morris, while his other brother, Ronald, is in the Canadian Football League on the British Columbia Lions. Kent, who’s the youngest child on his mom’s side, credits his brothers for making him tougher.
“I’m the baby on my mom’s side. I have three older brothers. In my opinion, they all could play professional football. It just ain’t work out that way for everybody. It’s been a competitive household whether we’re playing Madden, playing football out on the street, wrestling in the house,” Kent said. “Whatever we’re doing, it’s always been competitive. And me being the baby, they always picked on me a little bit. Nothing crazy but they picked on me. That built the toughness that I have right now and the competitive nature that I have, as well. All credit to my brothers.”
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Promising Steelers Rookie Will Miss Rest of the Season
