Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Keeanu Benton was dressed for practice on Monday morning, a day after he was reported to have an upper-body injury. He wore a sleeve on his left elbow and didn’t hit the standing practice dummies with that arm as he ran through drills beside the other interior linemen and edge rushers.
It’s a good sign that Benton at least suited up, but the extent of his injury is still unclear. The Steelers were dealt a blow on the defensive line last week when rookie first-round draft pick Derrick Harmon sprained his MCL during the team’s preseason game at Carolina.
It looks like an left elbow injury for #Steelers DL Keeanu Benton. #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/JRml7YKMvI
— Brendan Howe (@bybrendanhowe) August 25, 2025
Benton is in his third season with the Steelers. He’s appeared in 23 games and totaled 72 tackles, two sacks and eight passes defended over his first two campaigns. The Steelers selected him with the No. 49 overall choice in the 2023 NFL Draft. He arrived at training camp at St. Vincent College last month with a different-looking physique. The new look was a result of a different approach during the offseason.
“I feel like it was just a little bit more structured,” Benton said before training camp began last month. “I know how my body reacts to certain things, so I feel like I had a good plan this year.”
Benton will aim to be a key contributor on the defensive front this season, alongside Harmon and veteran leader Cam Heyward. Behind them, Yahya Black, Daniel Ekuale and Logan Lee provide depth as the Steelers prepare for their Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers DT Returns to Practice After Injury Scare
