Pittsburgh Steelers Activate Veteran Safety

The Pittsburgh Steelers activated safety DeShon Elliott on Saturday. He was a full participant in practice this week and is expected to play on Sunday when the Steelers face the New Orleans Saints in Paris, France. Elliott suffered a knee/hamstring injury in Week Eight of the 2025 season and was out on injured reserve for the rest of the season. He played in one preseason game this year before being placed on injured reserve again.

Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy addressed his return, saying, “I mean, DeShon Elliott, he’s one of our leaders, No. 1. You look at just what he brings to the locker room. So just to watch him fight back from this injury, he’s definitely someone you root for. It’s been a real milestone for him to get to this point.” Linebacker Patrick Queen remarked, “Shon’s a warrior.” He added, “His mindset is always great. And even when it’s not, we’re there to pick him up. But we just know the type of person he is, the type of player he is. And it’s just exciting to be able to see him bounce back again. We know big things are in store for him.”

2026 is Elliott’s third season with the Steelers. He previously played for the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins. Throughout his NFL career, he’s played in 77 games. He’s amassed 433 total tackles, 25 passes defensed, four-and-a-half sacks, six forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and five interceptions.