Steelers Could Get Massive Boost for Playoffs

For more reasons than one, the Pittsburgh Steelers have the right to be excited about the possibility of DeShon Elliott returning from injury and slotting back into the starting lineup at safety this postseason.

A hidden gem found in free agency on a two-year, $6 million deal, Elliott was a standout performer throughout the 2024 campaign before re-upping with Pittsburgh on a two-year extension worth $12.5 million this past offseason.

Elliott has missed just about the entire 2025 season due to injury, but it appears that he's doing everything in his power to make his way back onto the field for the Steelers during the playoffs, which is a rather big deal.

Elliott Hints at Return

The 28-year-old posted a picture of himself to his Instagram story that was captioned, "TBC", likely meaning "to be continued", on January 7 as Pittsburgh gets set to face off the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round.

Furthermore, Steelers Now's Alan Saunders has reported that he saw Elliott in the team's locker room on Jan. 5, and he very well may get his 21-day practice window opened by the team as he takes the next steps towards being activated from the reserve/injured list.

Elliott has not suited up since Week 8 with a knee ailment, and he had previously been sidelined for the team's Week 2 and 3 contests after going down in Week 1.

Oct 12, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers safety Deshon Elliott (25) reacts as he takes the field against the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Impact of Elliott's Potential Return

In a lot of ways, Elliott is the heart and soul of Pittsburgh's defense. He plays with an edge and brings a different sort of energy whenever he's on the field, which is something the team could use at this time of year.

Jalen Ramsey's gone through some trials and tribulations since moving to safety from cornerback in Week 9, and he had a bit of a rough go of it in the team's Week 18 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

Kyle Dugger, who joined the Steelers in a trade deadline deal with the New England Patriots, has started all nine games he's appeared in with the organization and played well enough, but Elliott would still supplant him.

At the very least, Elliott's potential return would allow for Pittsburgh to switch up its pairings on the back end of the defense and even move Ramsey down into the slot when need be as a means of spelling Brandin Echols and keeping the entire secondary more fresh.

It remains to be seen if Elliott will actually play for the Steelers this postseason, but his recent developments have been extremely promising nonetheless.

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