What’s the Deal with the Steelers’ ‘Final 53’ Roster?

PITTSBURGH STEELERS QUARTERBACK AARON RODGERS DURING A REGULAR SEASON GAME BETWEEN THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS AND THE CINCINNATI BENGALS, THURSDAY, OCT. 16, 2025 IN CINCINNATI, OH. | PHOTO BY KARL ROSER/PITTSBURGH STEELERS

It’s always been referenced as the “final 53” for some reason, but in actuality the collection of 53 Steelers who survived in compliance with the NFL’s mandatory roster cutdown from 90 is only the beginning.

 Changes will be made throughout the season, by choice and by necessity, probably before the regular-season commences on Sept. 13 against Atlanta.

Still, such an occasion is worthy of overanalysis,  if not overreaction.

The following is a little bit of both to help get you ready for the football that matters.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy is introduced at a press conference, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)

Be Like Mike

The quarterback thing has been beaten to death, four vs. three, Will Howard vs. Drew Allar, even Aaron Rodgers’ perceived viability at 42 going on 43.

Enough already, at least for the time being.

Head coach Mike McCarthy was brought here to win now and to develop a quarterback for later. The quarterback room and the quarterback rotation are set up as he sees fit.

And while coaches are far from infallible, and subject to scrutiny the day they sign a contract, McCarthy’s track record suggests he deserves the benefit of the doubt in this instance.

After all, he didn’t earn his “Quarterback Whisperer” reputation at Aiello’s.

To be sure, he probably knows more about potential quarterback ceilings, and how to best coax quarterbacks into reaching them, than the fans, the bloggers, the Tweeters and, yes, even the media.

McCarthy needs to do what he does with the QBs however he chooses to do it. If not, there wasn’t much sense in hiring him in the first place.

There’ll be time enough for counting when the dealing’s done.

PHOTO BY KARL ROSER/PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Gateway to the Secondary

The defensive secondary will open the season as a theory.

Safety/slot cornerback Jalen Ramsey didn’t play in the preseason. Neither did cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who has at least been activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list, suggesting — but not confirming — he’ll play in the regular-season opener with or without the contract extension he’s seeking.

Safety Jaquan Brisker also didn’t play in the preseason, and safety DeShon Elliott surprisingly turned up on Injured Reserve-Designated for Return despite Elliott maintaining in the spring and again in training camp that he was well on his way back from a hamstring/knee injury that ended his season last season and required surgery. 

Elliott thought all along he would be ready for the Falcons. Instead, he’ll miss the first four games.

Brisker, a product of Gateway High School and Penn State, may quickly prove to be a most fortuitous free-agent signing given the current circumstances. He’s the type of versatile safety most, if not all, teams seek. 

In his last game, he played perhaps the best game of his four-year NFL career. That was back on Jan. 18 as the Bears took on the Rams in the NFC playoffs. Brisker’s 14 tackles (eight solo), sack and two passes defensed included plays made in the offensive backfield and deep in the defensive secondary. 

He was everywhere, it seemed, and he never left the field. (Brisker played all 78 defensive snaps and five more on special teams as the Bears fell, 20-17 defeat in overtime).

If that guy shows up against Atlanta, Elliott won’t be missed.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Don’t Give Up the Ship

Eli Heidenreich’s journey from Mt. Lebanon to the United States Naval Academy to heartwarming seventh-round draft pick to training camp with his hometown team was easily the feel-good story of the offseason/preseason.

Heidenreich’s inclusion among the initial regular-season 53-man roster is head-scratching. Unless … we haven’t seen anything yet.

Listed as a running back initially, the position he technically played at Navy, Heidenreich nonetheless arrived having done the vast majority of his damage catching passes while in Annapolis; the attraction was what he might be able to accomplish on the receiving end of passes, as opposed to running between the tackles.

Yet, in three preseason games Heidenreich not only didn’t catch a pass, he wasn’t even targeted. Still, when the regular-season 53-player roster  was announced, Heidenreich suddenly had the unique designation of running back/wide receiver bestowed upon him.

It’s not a stretch to suggest the Steelers have been keeping a situational, ball-in-his-hands-in-space, gadget-type role for Heidenreich under wraps until it matters.

It could prove worth waiting for.

Neshannock-area Steelers fans Bob Leonhardt, Shari Flamino, Vince Russo, Jill Flamino Barletto and Lindy Lauro take a selfie while tailgating before the Steelers home opener on the North Shore of Pittsburgh on Sunday. Alexandra Wimley/ New Castle News

They Saw Enough

The most stunning inclusion on the regular-season roster was defensive lineman Kevin Jobity Jr., an undrafted rookie from Syracuse who was anonymous until he registered a sack in the preseason finale at Buffalo.

Some after-the-fact research on Jobity revealed he had three sacks against Pitt last Oct. 18.

Big games against their South Side co-tenants have gotten the Steelers’ attention in such situations previously. 

Oklahoma State wide receiver James Washington (second round, 2018) and Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph (third round, 2018) both had monster efforts against the Panthers before being drafted by the Steelers. So did North Carolina wide receiver Ryan Switzer before being acquired via a trade in 2018.

If only Aaron Donald had played against rather than for Pitt. How different history might have been.