The Steelers’ injury report yesterday listed Joey Porter Jr. as a limited practice participant due to “NIR/Conditioning”, removing the back injury designation from last week. “NIR” means “Not Injury Related.”
Others on the injury report included running back Rico Dowdle, with a toe injury, and cornerback Jamel Dean, with an ankle. Both missed practice yesterday, while wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was limited with a foot injury and running back Jaylen Warren was limited by a shoulder injury.
The Bengals had three players on their injury report, all of them missing practice yesterday. Defensive tackles Jonathan Allen (knee) and B.J. Hill (Achilles) and wide receiver Andrei Iosivas (thumb) were all out.
Coach Mike McCarthy would like to see Porter and Dean back in the secondary against the Bengals big, rangy star receivers Ja’mar Chase and Tee Higgins.
McCarthy says the Steelers offense has its share of problems, one of the biggest of which is an inability to convert third downs. Through two games, they are only 5-for25 on third downs, and the coach says that’s not nearly good enough.
The Steelers have announced the signing of wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins and defensive back Darius Rush to the practice squad. Hodgins was on the practice squad last year and Rush in 2023 and 2024. Hodgins has played in 38 NFL games for the Bills and Giants, playing in eight last year, including five starts. Rush was activated and played in five games for the Steelers in ’23 and ’24 and he played in one game for Washington last year.
