Steelers Starting CB Injured vs. Vikings

A veteran starter on the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense went down with an injury on the final play of the first quarter during a Week 4 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland.

On a 1st-and-10 from Minnesota's 31-yard line, Carson Wentz connected with Jordan Addison on a back-shoulder throw for a 22-yard gain and a first down.

Cornerback Darius Slay Jr. was in coverage, though he was seen grimacing and went down to a knee on the field after the play concluded while grabbing his side.

After heading to the Steelers' sideline with trainers at the end of the quarter, Slay was escorted into the blue medical tent.

He remained in the tent for a prolonged period of time, which was a bit of an ominous sign, though he returned to the game early in the second quarter.

Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Darius Slay (23) in action against the Seattle Seahawks during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

If Slay had been forced to depart the contest, Pittsburgh would've been down to three healthy corners on its 53-man roster in Jalen Ramsey, Brandin Echols and James Pierre since Joey Porter Jr. is inactive for a third-straight game due to a hamstring injury he sustained in the season opener vs. the New York Jets.

The Steelers' defense has been bitten rather hard by the injury bug so far this year, and Slay has dealt with several minor ailments that hadn't led to any missed time coming into this week.

After suffering an ankle injury during training camp in August, Slay injured his shoulder against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 and also suffered a leg contusion vs. the New England Patriots in Week 3.

The 34-year-old signed a one-year deal worth $10 million with the Steelers in free agency this past offseason after being cut by the Philadelphia Eagles, who he won the Super Bowl with last season.

Entering this week, Slay had been on the field for 192 snaps, or 95 percent of his available defensive reps. Over that span, he logged 10 tackles and two passes defended with a fumble recovery while allowing seven catches on 10 targets in coverage for a total of 73 yards, according to Pro Football Reference.

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