Steelers Safety Room Gets Huge Boost at Practice

Pittsburgh Steelers safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Damontae Kazee were together at practice for the first time in nearly a month on Jan. 10.

Fitzpatrick is in his second week of practicing as he attempts to return from a left knee injury. He had first been listed as questionable to play against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, but was made inactive just before the game.

Fitzpatrick suffered the knee injury in the second quarter of the team’s 30-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 16, one play after Kazee was ejected from that game for a hit on Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.

In addition to the ejection, Kazee was first suspended for the remainder of the 2023 season. He later got that suspension reduced to a three-game ban after an appeal, which allowed him to return for the Steelers’ postseason run.

That means that the Steelers could have their starting safety duo in place for the first time in a month when they face the Buffalo Bills this Sunday. Kazee was reinstated to the active roster on Wednesday.

The Steelers practiced at Acrisure Stadium on Wednesday, instead of their usual UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, because the turf at the stadium is in better condition and they have been eliminated from hosting a home playoff game.