Though he appears to be progressing, Steelers’ Stephon Tuitt remains in IR

Twice over the past week during periods of time in which media were able to photograph practice or when they were on the field for interviews, Stephon Tuitt was spotted working out and doing vigorous running and/or individual drills under the watchful eye of a member of the training staff.

But is Tuitt getting any closer to coming off the injured reserve list for the Pittsburgh Steelers? So far, Tuitt hasn’t even been designated as fit to practice with the team.

The Steelers are mum on their plans for their starting defensive lineman and third-longest-tenured player on the team. But Tuitt’s lack of game availability because of a knee injury hasn’t meant he hasn’t been around the team.

“Tuitt’s in the meetings answering questions, and that’s big for us,” defensive lineman Henry Mondeaux said. “On some teams when guys get injured they probably don’t want to come around, but (Tuitt and fellow injured veteran defensive lineman Tyson Alualu) have been in the meetings and been helping us because they know how important it is that our young guys step up.”

Tuitt was placed on IR when the season’s initial 53-man roster was set. He has a knee injury that limited him to individual drills during training camp.

Under NFL rules for IR adopted during the 2020 pandemic season but extended to 2021, a team can use the IR designation for as many players as needed after the initial active roster is set. Players must miss at least three games when on IR — so far, Tuitt has missed five — and once they return to practice there is a 21-day window in which a player must be activated to the 53-man roster, or he is out for the season.

Two other players who opened the season on IR, tackle Zach Banner and running back Anthony McFarland, returned to practice in recent weeks. Banner’s 21-day window expires next week — prior to the Steelers’ bye weekend — and McFarland’s falls the Wednesday after that in advance of an Oct. 31 game at the Cleveland Browns.

Tuitt also lost his brother, Richard Bartlett III, in a hit-and-run accident in June. Teammates repeatedly have spoken of offering emotional support to Tuitt, who has been with the Steelers since 2014. Only quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and defensive captain Cameron Heyward have been with the team longer.

“We have a lot of younger guys that want to pick my brain but want to pick his or Tyson’s,” Heyward said Thursday of Tuitt. “Having those guys who have experience goes a long way. There is difference between seeing the X’s and O’s and seeing guys who have played it before. There are certain things we look out for. Having (Tuitt) back out on the field and in the classroom is huge for us.”

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