Running back Jaylen Warren was in uniform and starting for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night despite getting added to the team’s injury report earlier that day because of illness.
Warren, the team’s leading rusher, was announced as questionable to play by the team about nine hours before kickoff. But he arrived at the stadium on time and was seen taking warmups as the team prepared for the “Monday Night Football” kickoff against the Miami Dolphins.
During the first half, he played his regular role and took on his typical workload in a backfield shared with veteran running back Kenneth Gainwell.
No Harmon
Steelers defensive tackle Derrick Harmon missed a third consecutive game because of a knee injury. Harmon returned to practice — albeit on a limited basis — this week but was not cleared to play after entering the weekend with a questionable designation on the status report.
Harmon, the Steelers’ rookie first-round pick, missed a fifth game this season because of knee ailments. He suffered his most recent injury during a Nov. 23 loss at the Chicago Bears. Without him, the Steelers had allowed more than 200 rushing yards in each of their previous two outings.
Fellow rookie Yahya Black started in Harmon’s place and slotted in his spot as the Steelers’ No. 3 defensive tackle.
MVS added to 53-man
Veteran receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling was added to the Steelers’ 53-man active roster Monday. The 31-year-old made his Steelers debut as a practice-squad elevation for last week’s win at the Baltimore Ravens.
Though Valdes-Scantling and 35-year-old waiver claim Adam Thielen in Baltimore combined for one catch (by Thielen) for 4 yards, the duo was credited in part by quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the big game from WR1 DK Metcalf (seven catches, 148 yards) because of their “professional” route-running.
Scotty Miller was a third veteran receiver who entered the gameday lineup against the Ravens after being a healthy scratch the previous game. It made for a significant remake of the Steelers wide receivers corps aside from Metcalf, Calvin Austin III and special-teamer Ben Skowronek. Designated as inactive against the Ravens were Roman Wilson and Ke’Shawn Wiliams.
Williams, a rookie, on Monday was waived from the active roster in the corresponding move to make room for Valdes-Scantling. Wilson wa again an inactive against Miami.
Valdes-Scantling is an eight-year NFL veteran who played his first four seasons with Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers.
Driscoll, Leal called up
Facing attrition at edge defender and on the offensive line, the Steelers also elevated DeMarvin Leal and Jack Driscoll from the practice squad for the game against the Dolphins.
Drafted as a defensive lineman, Leal is in his fourth season with the Steelers. He has been up and down from the practice squad and active roster this season, and Monday was his third game in uniform in 2025. Leal was called upon because of the lung injury that is preventing star outside linebacker T.J. Watt from playing.
The Steelers have only three healthy OLBs on their 53-man roster: Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig and rookie Jack Sawyer.
Driscoll was active for the Steelers for a game for the first time. Signed to the practice squad Oct. 29, he previously played in 67 NFL regular-season games with 18 starts for the Philadelphia Eagles since 2020. He has extensive pro experience at both tackle and guard.
The Steelers are down to their No. 4 left tackle with Broderick Jones (neck), Calvin Anderson (knee) and Andrus Peat (concussion) out. A week after making his NFL debut, Dylan Cook made his first start. He was at left tackle for the Steelers.
Steelers sparse in Pro Bowl vote
Hours away from the vote wrapping up, the fan tallies for Pro Bowl honors were not all that bountiful with Steelers.
Among 20 positional categories, the Steelers, as of 11 a.m. Monday, had only three players listed among the top 10 at any position.
One of those players had played exactly one snap this season at said position. Another is having his least productive season in years. A third is a special teamer.
Skowronek led all candidates in fan voting for “special teams player” in the weekly league update of fan voting that began Nov. 27 and was to conclude at 11:59 p.m. Monday.
Watt and Connor Heyward ranked fifth in voting among among outside linebackers and fullbacks, respectively.
Watt has seven sacks this season. His career low for any season in which he has played more than 10 games is seven, set as a rookie in 2017.
According to Pro Football Focus, Heyward had played one snap in the backfield through 13 games this season. Heyward is listed as a tight end and plays extensively on special teams. Heyward also has taken direct snaps as the ball carrier for the Steelers’ “tush push” play calls this season, including twice in the first quarter Monday.
Fan voting counts for one-third of roster selection for the Pro Bowl Games, which will take place the week before the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, Calif., and no longer features a true tackle football game.
Coach and player tallies account for the other two-thirds of player selection.