Steelers QB Suffers Injury Before Week 1

There was a surprise inclusion on the Pittsburgh Steelers' final injury report heading into their Week 1 matchup with the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

Quarterback Skylar Thompson, who was a full participant at the beginning of the week, was listed as questionable vs. New York with a hamstring injury after practicing in a limited capacity.

The 28-year-old signal caller is likely to find himself among Pittsburgh's inactives as the team's emergency No. 3 option at the position behind Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph whether he's healthy enough to play or not.

The severity of Thompson's ailment and when he sustained it aren't yet known, but the fact that he still participated to some extent is a good sign for his long-term outlook.

A seventh-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2022 following a successful career at Kansas State, Thompson served as a backup to Tua Tagovailoa throughout his three years with the team and appeared in 10 regular season games while making three starts. Over that stretch, he threw for 721 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions with a 58.7 completion rate on 138 attempts.

He also started the Dolphins' Wild Card round game against the Buffalo Bills as a rookie, during which he threw for 220 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions as Miami lost by a score of 34-31 on the road at Highmark Stadium.

Aug 9, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Skylar Thompson (17) throws the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

Thompson signed a reserve/futures contract with the Steelers back in January. He profiled as the team's No. 4 QB for a majority of the offseason after the team signed Rodgers and Rudolph while also drafting his former Kansas State teammate in Will Howard, but a hand injury to the latter opened the door for him to secure a 53-man roster spot.

During the preseason, Thompson made the most of his opportunity by throwing for a total of 498 yards, four touchdowns and an interception to go alongside a 73.2 percent completion rate in three games.

With Howard on injured reserve to begin the campaign, Thompson will fill a backup role in Pittsburgh for the time being as long as his own injury proves not to be serious.

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