Mike Tomlin Adds Rising Defensive Star to Steelers Injury Report

It doesn’t seem like it will cause him to miss any playing time, but head coach Mike Tomlin added a significant member of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense to the team’s injury report on Tuesday. Tomlin reported that nose tackle Keeanu Benton could be limited this week after suffering a minor injury in-game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

Tomlin said that both Benton and Nick Herbig will be limited this week. Herbig suffered an ankle injury against the Indianapolis Colts and was eventually able to return. 

“It might limit (Herbig) at the early portions of the week, but I don’t know that his availability will be in question,” Tomlin said. “Same with Benton. He might be limited at the beginning of the week, but certainly not in question.”

It’s not clear when or how Benton was injured and Tomlin was vague with details, but a team source told Steelers Now that he is also dealing with an ankle injury.

An ankle injury could explain some of Benton’s limited usage against the Colts on Sunday. He played in a season-low 42% of the team’s defensive snaps, and recorded three tackles, one for a loss, one quarterback hit and one pass defended in his playing time.

The Steelers have high hopes for their 2023 second-round pick out of Wisconsin, but so far this season, Benton has been playing third fiddle for playing time on the defensive line behind now-healthy stalwarts Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi.