Will Stephon Tuitt be ready for the regular-season opener for Steelers?

Cameron Heyward didn’t miss a beat Thursday. He answered the final question of an 11-minute conversation with media with conviction.

Is there any concern his longtime running mate on the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line, Stephon Tuitt, would be ready for the regular-season opener Sept. 12?

“No,” is all Heyward said as he stood on the Heinz Field grass.

And with that, he walked away from the makeshift podium.

A day earlier, though, when asked the same question, defensive coordinator Keith Butler did not sound nearly as convinced.

“Boy, I hope so. I really hope so,” Butler said. “I think he will be. We don’t want him to go out there and get hurt and we lose him for another four weeks or something like that. We want to make sure he’s in shape and ready to play when we play our first ballgame.”

Tuitt has not taken part in a team drill during any of the Steelers’ first 20 practices of training camp. He also did not dress for either of their two preseason games and won’t when the Steelers host the Detroit Lions on Saturday.

But what is preventing Tuitt from taking the field remains a mystery. Tuitt tragically lost his brother, Richard Bartlett III, in a hit-and-run accident in June. Tuitt was excused from the Steelers’ mandatory minicamp later that month.

He has worked only during stretch periods and on his own during camp. Though he has been absent from some camp sessions, Tuitt has been at Heinz Field running or doing light drills much more often than not.

The Steelers haven’t said whether Tuitt’s inability to participate is because of an injury, if it’s emotionally related or if his conditioning needs to be ramped up after his taxing offseason. But it increasingly appears Tuitt is dealing with a physical injury.

Asked Thursday, coach Mike Tomlin referenced he is not required by NFL rules to acknowledge or discuss injuries until the regular season begins. The clock is ticking on that — 3 1/2 weeks until the Steelers open at the Buffalo Bills. And Tomlin said he does not have a timetable for Tuitt’s return to full practice.

“I haven’t asked (the medical staff) a lot,” Tomlin said. “I know that he’s had good days. I know progress has been made. I know that he’ll be excited to get back out there with his teammates.”

As the third longest-tenured and fourth most-compensated player on the team in 2021, Tuitt’s value to the Steelers is difficult to understate. He was second on the team last season in sacks (11), QB hits (25) and forced fumbles (tied, two). By the count of Pro Football Focus, Tuitt was second only to AP Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald among interior defensive linemen in pressures of opposing quarterbacks.

“He’s working his way back,” Heyward said. “He’s gone through stuff this offseason, and we are just going to continue to be there for him. As the season approaches (head trainer John Norwig) and Coach T will have more information, but he’s in every meeting, he’s learning.”

Gregarious and a popular locker-room presence, Tuitt’s teammates have been offering support.

“We understand football is just a game,” Heyward said. “And for anyone to lose a loved one, it hurts a lot. All we can do is be there and make sure we are there for him in any capacity. And we understand this isn’t just going to go away. We’ve all lost someone, and we understand it’s not going to be the same for any person but whatever he needs we will be there for him.”

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