Safety dance: Veteran Eric Rowe ready to step in for Steelers; Elijah Riley back at practice

The most recent time Eric Rowe was in an NFL game of consequence, it was the playoffs.

Rowe started, played 95% of the snaps and lined up at least 10 times each at free safety, in-the-box strong safety, as a slot cornerback and at wide cornerback.

That was more than 11 months ago for the Miami Dolphins. On Saturday, in his first meaningful action since, Rowe could be relied on for a similarly heavy and varied workload for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Whatever they need me,” Rowe said before practice Tuesday at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “You have got to be ready for anything.

“However the game plan works out. … I have been ready, so I just have to stay ready.”

A 31-year-old, nine-year NFL veteran, Rowe has not played this regular season. He joined the Steelers on Nov. 20 via their practice squad. Twenty-six days later, the Steelers’ starting safety duo became unavailable during the loss at the Indianapolis Colts this past Saturday.

With Minkah Fitzpatrick out because of a knee injury and Damontae Kazee suspended because of a hit on the Colts’ Michael Pittman Jr., the Steelers might not only have Rowe in uniform for Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, they might need him to start and play a significant role.

“That’s definitely a challenge that you kind of have to overcome,” Rowe said of coming off a practice squad to make a debut in late December. “Me, I am still the new guy, a month here, haven’t played with any of them, and it’s December football, playoff time really each game. So you have got to pick it up quick. Everything has its challenges, and this is just one of them.”

Presumptive Saturday starting safety (during his Steelers debut) Eric Rowe, talking about how in 2015 he thought the Steelers were gonna draft him https://t.co/ca74MNLb4d

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) December 19, 2023

Rowe’s next NFL regular-season game will be his 101st, and that includes two Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots. The past four seasons he was with the Miami Dolphins.

The only true safeties on the Steelers’ 53-man roster available Saturday are Trenton Thompson (a recent practice-squad first-year player) and Miles Killebrew (the special-teams captain). Elijah Riley, who returned to practice Tuesday, has been on injured reserve since the day Rowe was signed to the practice squad.

Riley (ankle) and Thompson (neck) were listed as a limited participants at Tuesday’s practice on the league-mandated injury report. Tompson returned to Saturday’s game after leaving it briefly because of a neck injury.

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Coach Mike Tomlin said Monday that Riley and Rowe likely were tabbed for significant roles against the Bengals, though veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson also figures to play plenty of snaps at safety.

“Even when I was playing, I never take (the privilege to play) the game lightly, so every opportunity is a new opportunity for me to get out there and help the team,” Rowe said. “Help the team win — because I know we are on a three-game losing streak and trying to bounce back, not just for playoffs but just for his team, this brand, so this is just an opportunity for me to go and help the team and add some value.”

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