Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — Just two weeks into the regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ secondary continues to deal with attrition. Having missed cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and safety DeShon Elliott during the team’s 31-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, coverman Darius Slay is dealing with the bumps and bruises from that game.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Slay is nursing a shoulder injury.
“We had some guys that got banged up in-game that may limit them at the early portions of the week, but it should not eliminate them from participation,” Tomlin said Tuesday of Slay and linebacker Patrick Queen, who has an oblique ailment.
Slay’s issue marks three starters in the back end that aren’t at full health, which is becoming an overarching theme with the team’s defense. Tomlin termed Porter and Elliott as questionable to play against the Patriots on the road.
Slay, a 13th-year pro, joined the Steelers after five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Through two outings in black and gold, he has seven combined tackles and a pass defended.
The Steelers rank 25th in the NFL in passing yards allowed (513), 28th in passing yards per attempt (9.3) and 24th in opposing completion percentage (69.1). The team almost certainly expected better out of the secondary, which also added three-time first-team Associated Press All-Pro Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey had his first interception with the team against the Seahawks on Sunday.
Slay had played in 179 career games, starting 169. He has 28 interceptions, but none since 2023.
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Dealing With Yet Another Injury in Secondary
