Steelers ‘a relatively healthy group’ headed into ‘single elimination tournament’

Remarkably, on the cusp of their playoff opener the Pittsburgh Steelers are injury-free in regards to their active roster.

Coach Mike Tomlin during his weekly news conference Tuesday termed his team “a relatively healthy group” as it prepares to host the Houston Texans this coming Monday night in the wild-card round of the AFC playoffs.

The Steelers played their regular-season finale with no players on the 53-man roster carrying any injury designations into the weekend leading up to this past Sunday’s de facto AFC championship game, a 26-24 win against the Baltimore Ravens. After 16 prior games, that’s almost an impossibility.

Furthermore, the Steelers emerged from what was a physical rivalry game with no additional injury issues.

“In game, we got some bumps and bruises associated with play,” Tomlin said Tuesday, “and that may limit some people at the early portions of the week. But thankfully, we came out of it relatively well.

“Everyone that returned to action (from an injury absence) last week … was able to participate (against the Ravens) without any steps backwards. And so, we’re thankful for that. We’re a relatively healthy group as we lean in on the single elimination tournament. I’m so excited about that.”

Among the players who returned against Baltimore were outside linebacker T.J. Watt (lung), left guard Isaac Seumalo (triceps), receiver Calvin Austin III (hamstring) and cornerbacks James Pierre (calf) and Brandin Echols (groin).

Watt and Pierre had missed three games, Seumalo was out for the prior two and Austin and Echols suffered injuries during a Week 16 win at the Detroit Lions that prevented each from playing during a loss at the Cleveland Browns on Dec. 28.

The Steelers do have 13 players on the injured reserve list, including a trio of starters in left tackle Broderick Jones, tight end Darnell Washington and safety DeShon Elliott. But Elliott was replaced via a trade for veteran Kyle Dugger, who has played well. Tight end was one of the deepest positions on the team, and Dylan Cook — the fourth left tackle the Steelers have used this season — has stabilized that position.