The Steelers have not practiced in the past three days due to their game against the Ravens being postponed to Tuesday night. The team still puts out an estimated injury report and today the Steelers ruled out running back Jaylen Samuels (quad) for Tuesday night against Baltimore. Samuels did not practice on Tuesday and Wednesday and was listed as did not practice on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The Steelers also officially placed running back James Conner on the reserve/COVID-19 list. It was reported earlier today by Aditi Kinkwabwala of the NFL Network that Conner tested positive for the virus. Kinkhabwala reports that Conner is awaiting a second test on Sunday to confirm these results. Contact tracing continues.
Conner, who is a cancer survivor, is in good health at this time, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. Conner also seemed to be in positive spirits when he responded to a get well tweet from Joe Haden on Twitter.
Yesterday, the Steelers announced that they've placed defensive end Stephon Tuitt, defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs and offensive tackle Jerald Hawkins on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
With Samuels and Conner out for Tuesday night's game, Benny Snell Jr. and Anthony McFarland Jr. will have to carry the load at running back.
Also, special teams coordinator Danny Smith will not coach on Tuesday due to an illness. Assistant wide receivers coach Blaine Stewart will coach the special teams unit. Quarterbacks coach Matt Canada also will not coach on Tuesday due to an illness.
It was reported on Saturday by Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Smith tested positive for COVID-19. According to Kinkwabwala, Canada has also tested positive for COVID-19. Kinkwabwala said that multiple sources told her that Ben Roethlisberger was not deemed as a close contact who needs to self-isolate.
Roethlisberger was deemed as a close contact with Vance McDonald when he tested positive for COVID-19 after the game against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9. Roethlisberger sat next to McDonald on the flight back to Pittsburgh from Arlington, Texas. Roethlisberger had to self-isolate for at least five days and test negative each day. He came off the reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday, a day before he was active for the game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Cornerback Joe Haden (knee) is listed as questionable for Tuesday night. Haden did not practice on Tuesday, was limited in practice on Wednesday, and was listed as limited on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (foot), quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (quad) and defensive lineman Cameron Heyward (ankle) are all good to go for Tuesday. Smith-Schuster, Roethlisberger and Heyward were all limited on Tuesday, were full participants on Wednesday and listed as full on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The Ravens haven't practiced since Tuesday and moved all football activities are done virtually. The Ravens placed six more players on the reserve/COVID list today: offensive tackle D.J. Fluker, outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson, offensive tackle Will Holden, defensive tackle Broderick Washington, cornerback Khalil Dorsey (injured reserve) and cornerback Tavon Young (injured reserve). The Ravens have placed 18 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list since Monday.
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