Monday Night Football’s Week 17 Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers matchup lost some importance after Sunday’s results, but no game between these two is ever anything less than intense in recent years. This week’s contest has been heavily impacted by injuries, so let’s take a look at the injury report for both the Steelers and Browns heading into Week 17.
Update 01/03/22: The Browns announced that Kareem Hunt will be inactive for their game against the Steelers. Make sure to see all of the team’s inactives in our NFL Week 17 Inactives Report.
Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers injury Report
In a game that could have been a playoff eliminator, both the Steelers and Browns were hoping to be at full strength. However, Cleveland has had a torrid time recently with their injury report, and Week 17 has been no different. Let’s take a look at who the Browns are set to have active, who is already out, and who appears to be a game-time decision.
Browns injury report has Kareem Hunt and Malik Jackson listed as questionable
It has been quite the week for the Browns. While their COVID issues have abated, their injury report has been a busy place. A total of 14 players have been listed at some point this week. Following Cleveland’s final practice on Saturday, just five carry a designation, with two listed as questionable and three ruled out.
In the questionable category is a player who could make or break fantasy matchups in Kareem Hunt. The Browns RB has been struggling with an ankle injury for a few weeks. He entered Week 17 as a non-participant on Thursday but was limited on both Friday and Saturday. Also listed as questionable is DT Malik Jackson. He followed the same pattern as Hunt but with a knee injury. The main question now is whether the Browns risk either of them with nothing but pride left to play for this week.
The Browns have already ruled out three key players on the defensive side of the ball. Both starting safeties, Ronnie Harrison and John Johnson III, have been ruled out. Johnson did not practice all week with a hamstring injury. Harrison was a full participant Thursday but was downgraded Friday to limited and remained as such on Saturday. CB Troy Hill also did not practice all week with a knee injury and will not play.
Among the players who were cleared this week are key starters on both sides of the ball. Included in this list are DE Myles Garrett (groin), QB Baker Mayfield (shoulder), WR Jarvis Landry (knee), CB Greg Newsome II (concussion), C JC Tretter (knee), and LB Sione Takitaki (shoulder).
The Steelers injury report was much calmer in Week 17
The Steelers had just six players on their injury report this week. They have ruled out one of them in LB Buddy Johnson (foot). He was a non-participant all week, so this is hardly surprising. They have two players listed as questionable in C Kendrick Green (calf) and P Pressley Harvin III (personal/illness). Green was able to get in a limited practice Saturday to give him a chance to play, while Harvin was absent all week.
The other three players listed on the injury report this week all have no game-day designation. Ben Roethlisberger has been listed most of the week with a pectoral/right shoulder injury, but he’s mostly just been missing one day a week as he manages what could be his final season. TE Pat Freiermuth missed last week with a concussion but was a full participant all week. Guard Trai Turner popped up on the injury report as a limited participant Saturday with a knee injury. However, he appears good to go in Week 17.