Steelers injuries are starting to compile after two weeks of training camp

The Pittsburgh Steelers are two weeks into their annual training camp, and it is the time of camp when injuries can start to creep up. For the black-and-gold, they’ve done more than creep up. They’ve started to compile.

The list of Steelers walking wounded is growing, and that isn’t a good thing for a team who has to put a team on the field this Saturday in Jacksonville in the first week of the preseason. While the Steelers have avoided the big-time injury to a big-time player, I just knocked on wood for those who are superstitious, they also are starting to see the same old “soft tissue” injuries creep up.

Normally you would just chalk this up to the rigors of training camp, but for the Steelers, who replaced their strength and conditioning staff prior to last season, this could be more than that. After last season Mike Tomlin stated publicly at a press conference how he wanted to see the team not deal with so many of those nagging soft tissue injuries, but the trend seems to be continuing.

With the team having the day off Monday, let’s take a look at the players who are banged up in some capacity heading into the final preparations for Week 1 of the 2025 preseason:

• WR Calvin Austin III (undisclosed)
• Joey Porter Jr. (undisclosed)
• Cory Trice Jr. (hamstring)
• Donte Kent (undisclosed, seen in walking boot)
• Alex Highsmith (groin)
• Broderick Jones (groin)
• Calvin Anderson (undisclosed)
• DJ Thomas-Jones (foot/ankle)

This list is even leaving off players like Jeremiah Moon who were waived injured and aren’t on the current roster. I’m also not including Isaac Seumalo starting training camp on the Non-Football Injury List.

It is important to note both Jones and Thomas-Jones have returned to practice and are seemingly moving forward without any noticeable setbacks, but the rest of the list is concerning. I’m not suggesting the strength and conditioning staff is at fault for 100% of these injuries, but the hope is this isn’t a growing trend which will last the duration of the season.

For any fan out there who believes these soft tissue injuries aren’t going to be an issue when the regular season starts should remember last year Highsmith had a groin injury which seemed to heal before he missed a portion of the regular season after re-injuring the leg. There was a camp when safety Mike Mitchell had a camp injury, also a groin, which he dealt with all season and required offseason surgery.

I’m not suggesting any of the aforementioned injuries are that severe, but something which should be considered. Every team deals with these type of injuries at some point, but the hope is the Steelers are able to break camp with minimal injury to those who will be called upon to play significant roles this upcoming season.

Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the rest of camp and preseason Week 1 vs. the Jaguars.