Key Steelers Player Injured Ahead of Regular Season – Fans Push Back Against Preseason

As the regular season draws near, the excitement around Pittsburgh begins to fade under the shadow of heartbreak. What was supposed to be a final tune-up before chasing Super Bowl dreams has instead left the Steelers battered and bruised.

For a city that bleeds black and gold, nothing hurts more than watching its warriors fall before the real war even begins. Each week of preseason has brought hope, but also fear — and now, the growing injury list is impossible to ignore.

The most alarming blow came in the preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers, when first-round rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon went down with a sprained MCL. The big man who was supposed to anchor the middle of the defensive line will now miss four to six weeks. His absence may stretch into the opening weeks of the regular season — a painful reality for a defense built on toughness and control.

Just weeks earlier, long snapper Christian Kuntz — a Pittsburgh native and fan favorite — suffered a fractured sternum. The injury was severe enough to sideline him indefinitely, forcing the team to sign a veteran replacement. Kuntz’s loss goes beyond special teams; it’s a gut-punch to the locker room’s emotional core.

The offense hasn’t been spared either. Rookie quarterback Will Howard, drafted to be the future of the franchise, broke his throwing-hand pinky in practice. While the timeline for his return remains short-term, it robs him of critical preseason reps and delays his development in the system.

Meanwhile, the list of walking wounded continues to grow:

• Dean Lowry, a key veteran on the defensive line, is already on injured reserve with a knee issue.
• Tight end Jonnu Smith, wide receiver Brandon Johnson, linebacker Nick Herbig, and cornerback Cory Trice are all nursing soft-tissue injuries that have left their Week 1 status in question.
• Even explosive slot receiver Calvin Austin III has been limited by an abdominal injury.

Perhaps the most devastating loss of all came long before the lights of preseason: tight end Donald Parham Jr. tore his Achilles during OTAs and has been ruled out for the entire 2025 season. He never even got to wear the uniform on game day.

The emotional weight of these injuries has split the Steelers fanbase. Some believe preseason intensity is necessary to build rhythm and identity. Others argue that risking key starters in meaningless August games is reckless — especially when the goal is a deep playoff run.

One thing is clear: Pittsburgh will begin the season not at full strength, but with scars — both physical and emotional. And yet, if there’s any city built to rise from adversity, it’s this one.

Steelers football has never been about ease. It’s about grit. It’s about loyalty. And it’s about standing tall when the dream feels farthest away.