The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense will be without two more players for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. Per team spokesperson Burt Lauten, the team has ruled out ILB Cole Holcomb and S Chuck Clark. Both will miss the game due to illness.
Holcomb missed the Thursday and Friday practices due to his illness, while Clark sat out Friday’s session. Both ended the week as questionable.
Clark’s absence muddies an already messy safety situation. DeShon Elliott is on injured reserve with a knee injury, while Jabrill Peppers had already been ruled out with a mid-week quad injury. It leaves Juan Thornhill and newly-acquired Kyle Dugger as the only available safeties on the 53-man roster. Jalen Ramsey has played safety in the team’s base packages, and the Steelers are likely to elevate newly signed safety Darrick Forrest from the practice squad as additional depth.
Still, it’s a cobbled-together unit set to face the Indianapolis Colts’ No. 1 scoring offense.
On the season, Clark has 33 tackles and one forced fumble. Pittsburgh signed him as additional depth shortly after training camp began.
Holcomb had carved out a run-down role throughout the season in his first snaps since suffering a devastating 2023 knee injury that nearly ended his career. Pittsburgh could just use Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson throughout the game. However, the team could activate ILB Malik Harrison from injured reserve to the 53-man roster and play him in Holcomb’s place on running downs. Harrison is a thumping linebacker who received snaps in that role before suffering a Week 1 knee injury. He ended the week questionable on the team’s Friday injury report, but practiced fully throughout the week.
UPDATE (11:32 AM): Harrison has been activated from injured reserve and is poised to play tomorrow.
In 2025, Holcomb has tallied 25 tackles with one forced fumble.
In addition to Clark and Holcomb, the Steelers ruled out WR Scotty Miller (finger), Peppers, and CB Cory Trice Jr. (knee) on its Friday report. Trice remains on injured reserve. Pittsburgh currently has two open roster spots plus elevations to make moves prior to today’s 4 PM deadline.
