The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for the New York Jets in Week 1 on the road, and Mike Tomlin was at the podium Tuesday for the first time of the regular season. Before Tomlin started to wax poetic about the Jets weapons on both offense and defense, he outlined the team’s health heading into Week 1.

Tomlin cited how the team was a very healthy group, by design, heading into the opening week, and even mentioned how the week off they had last week absolutely helped them get to a higher level of health before the real games begin. However, he did say rookie 1st Round pick Derrick Harmon has been ruled out with his sprained MCL suffered in the final preseason game vs. the Carolina Panthers. When asked how the team will replace the snaps which Harmon would have allocated, Tomlin said it will likely be a “by committee” approach, which he said would have been the plan if the team had Harmon available.

Harmon was the only player Tomlin said wouldn’t play this week, but did say they would label outside linebacker Nick Herbig as questionable with his hamstring injury which he suffered in preseason Week 2 vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team’s lone home preseason contest.

Other than those two players, Tomlin was extremely positive about players who have been dealing with injuries throughout training camp and the preseason, and who should be good-to-go. Tomlin mentioned Calvin Austin III, who was dealing with a reported abdominal injury, and Alex Highsmith, who was nursing a groin injury suffered in the early stages of camp, as players who should be ready to play when the team heads to MetLife Stadium this Sunday. When you look at the possibility of not having Nick Herbig in the lineup, having Highsmith ready and fully healthy will be vital to the defensive front.

During the question and answer session of the press conference Tomlin was asked about Cam Heyward’s situation entering the regular season. Heyward has done the minimum throughout training camp and the preseason, and his contract squabble which became public had many people wondering if Heyward would play or not in Week 1 if he doesn’t get more money.

Tomlin didn’t mince words when he said he is “fully expecting Cam to play” vs. the Jets, and continued that he had no reservations about his readiness and participation. Ultimately, Tomlin said his job is to get Heyward in and out of Latrobe, which he cited he did his job without any issues.

The Steelers elected to not play the vast majority of their starters throughout the preseason to be healthy in Week 1, and that has been the case in 2025. However, will there be rust involved with the lack of game repetitions? That has yet to be seen, but we will all get to see that on display this Sunday at 1pm this Sunday in Week 1.

Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the New York Jets in Week 1, and also check out the SCN Mike Tomlin Press Conference recap in the player below: