Minkah Fitzpatrick, Myles Jack questionable; Alex Highsmith to play for Steelers vs. Browns

With the Pittsburgh Steelers’ must-win regular-season finale two days away, inside linebacker Myles Jack and free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick officially were given questionable designations on the NFL-mandated injury report released Friday.

Aside from reserve defensive back Tre Norwood — who will miss his second consecutive game because of a hamstring injury — Jack and Fitzpatrick are the only Steelers’ players whose status is up in the air for Sunday’s home game against the Cleveland Browns.

The Steelers (8-8) need a win, plus losses by the Miami Dolphins (to the New York Jets) and New England Patriots (to the Buffalo Bills) in order to qualify for the postseason.

Fitzpatrick, who was given the Steelers team MVP award Friday, is expected to play against Cleveland. He rolled an ankle early during the second half of last week’s win at the Baltimore Ravens but finished the game. Fitzpatrick sat out practices Wednesday and Thursday but took part in a limited capacity Friday.

Coach Mike Tomlin on Tuesday said “I don’t know that any of us are overly concerned” that Fitzpatrick’s ankle would prevent him from playing, and Fitzpatrick on Friday made no reference to injury holding him out of Sunday’s game.

The Steelers typically update the status of players Saturday when they have a Sunday kickoff.

Jack’s status, though, is trickier to read because his groin injury already caused him to miss a game (Dec. 18 at the Carolina Panthers) and limited him to a combined 22 snaps over the past two games. Early in the season, Jack rarely left the field.

Among those officially cleared to play against Cleveland after practicing fully Friday were receiver Diontae Johnson (hip), outside linebacker Alex Highsmith (ankle), guard Kevin Dotson (shoulder), defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi (toe), defensive back Arthur Maulet (illness) and cornerback James Pierre (concussion).

Pierre left the Ravens game after suffering a hit to the head during his first defensive snap played.

Ogunjobi and Johnson have been regulars on the injury report in the middle of the week over the past month, but neither has missed any game action. Maulet was absent from practice Wednesday and Thursday but was back Friday.

Dotson did not practice Wednesday, and Highsmith was an addition to the injury report Thursday.

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