Steelers' DeShon Elliott Shares Encouraging Injury Update

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers lost a crucial member of their secondary for a majority of the 2025 season following safety DeShon Elliott's season-ending injury. A lower-body injury took the star safety out and the team's secondary fell by the wayside without him on the field.

Heading into 2026, the Steelers safety expects to be back and better than ever. He's just not 100% healthy yet.

On a recent appearance on teammate Cam Heyward's podcast, Not Just Football, Elliott shared that after sustaining the devastating injury, he's on the verge of returning for the Steelers.

“I’m almost there," he said. “I’ve been working out and training. By the time training camp rolls around, I should be ready to play ball, man. I might work out during minicamp, probably. We’ll see."

What This Means for Steelers

This is yet another encouraging sign for Elliott and his status heading into 2026. The Steelers were significantly worse without him on the field, highlighting their dire need for his production and impact.

With this, it's clear that Elliott is still trending in the right direction and should return for the regular season.

That's huge news for the defense, who brought in another veteran safety in Jaquan Brisker to add another starter to pair with Elliott. Now, the secondary looks much deeper with Elliott and Brisker at safety, and Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean and Jalen Ramsey as the top cornerbacks.

Are Steelers Targeting Safety at NFL Draft?

The Steelers should feel optimistic about Elliott, but it doesn't erase the need for safety depth. While the team supposedly agreed to terms on a deal with Darnell Savage, he hasn't signed a deal with the franchise. Until that happens, there is a very tangible need for more help in the secondary.

There are also plenty of impressive safeties in this year's class, and that's not limited to the first or second round. The organization can add an intriguing building block anywhere in this year's draft, helping to ease the burden on Elliott and Brisker in the process. Dillon Thieneman from Oregon is a top target in the first-round, with players like Arizona's Genesis Smith, South Carolina's Jalon Kilgore and TCU's Bud Clark on the team's radar later on in the draft.

Arizona safety Genesis Smith — Nov 22, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive back Genesis Smith (12) against the Baylor Bears at Casino Del Sol Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

A Career Threatening Injury

It was assumed that Elliott sustained a severe injury last season, but the details he shared on Heyward's podcast were even more gruesome. He admitted to thinking at one point that the injury might have ended his career, and a surgery was required to reattach his hamstring to the bone, one of the side effects of his knee injury suffered last season.

“They had to reattach that back," he explained. "I was in a brace for six weeks. I had no weight bearing for five. Those first two months were so hard. I’ve been hurt a couple times in my career, and that was the worst pain when it came to getting my flexion back."

Thankfully, Elliott is able to continue his playing days. He will be counted on once again to be a huge piece of the puzzle in Pittsburgh, and this latest update is further evidence for the Steelers.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI,and find our podcast All Steelers Talk on YouTubeor anywhere you listen!

Add us as a preferred source on Google