Veteran defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk hasn’t played since Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season. But the Pittsburgh Steelers appear hopeful he could return for the team’s postseason run.
The team announced Friday it opened the 21-day practice window for Loudermilk. With the move, the 28-year-old practiced with the team three days before its wild card matchup.
The Steelers now have three weeks to activate Loudermilk. If he is not activated before January 30, he will remain on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.
Basically, the Steelers have between now and the first week of Super Bowl preparation to see if Loudermilk can play.
The defensive lineman has been on injured reserve because of an ankle ailment since September 17. He last played since Week 2 versus the Seattle Seahawks on September 14.
In two games this season, Loudermilk didn’t registered a statistic. The defensive lineman played 37 defensive snaps and 11 snaps on special teams in two contests.
Steelers Open Practice Window for DT Isaiahh Loudermilk
All-Pro defensive tackle Cameron Heyward has been healthy this season. However, the Steelers have dealt with several other defensive line injuries, especially at defensive tackle, this season.
In addition to Loudermilk, defensive tackles Daniel Ekuale and Dean Lowry landed on IR early in the season.
Rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon avoided IR. However, he missed consecutive games on two different occasions during the regular season.
Harmon, though, returned again in December, and the Steelers defensive line solidified itself for the stretch run. Pittsburgh’s defense allowed 73.3 rushing yards per game in the final four regular season weeks.
Still, getting back Loudermilk could provide a significant boost.
Loudermilk won’t have a full week’s worth of practice before the team’s wild card matchup. But because the Steelers host the Houston Texans on Monday, Loudermilk could practice twice before the matchup.
Should the Steelers advance, then Loudermilk will have a full week to prepare for the AFC divisional round.
Loudermilk has started seven games in his five-year NFL career. He started both in Weeks 1 and 2 this season.
In 60 career NFL contests, he has posted 63 combined tackles, including one tackle for loss, six pass defenses and one sack.
Steelers-Texans Set for Monday Night Football
The Steelers will host the Texans for their first home playoff game in five years. That was an embarrassing loss to the Cleveland Browns, where the Steelers trailed by four touchdowns after the first quarter.
Pittsburgh’s last home postseason win came on January 8, 2017. The franchise’s most recent playoff victory was a week later in Kansas City.
Since then, the Steelers have lost six consecutive postseason contests.
For Mike Tomlin’s club, the hope Monday is the organization’s success on Monday Night Football prevails over the recent playoff struggles. The Steelers have won 23 consecutive games at home on Monday night.
In 2020, the Steelers did lose to the then Washington Football Team on Monday, but it didn’t count as Monday Night Football because it was a rescheduled game that kicked off at 5 pm ET. The league moved that contest because of COVID-19.
The Texans will enter the matchup having won nine consecutive games. The Steelers won four of their final five contests to finish 10-7 and win the AFC North.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Steelers Announce Potential Roster Boosting Move Before NFL Playoffs appeared first on Heavy Sports.