Stephon Tuitt placed on IR
Defensive end Stephon Tuitt was enjoying what was shaping up to be a career season when he sustained a torn pectoral muscle on the first drive versus the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6. The full muscle tear required surgery and landed him on injured reserve.
Losing Tuitt was a massive blow for the Steelers defense, especially versus the run. Per Pro Football Focus, Tuitt was their most potent weapon versus the run in 2018 with a grade of 86.4. He didn’t miss a single tackle that year and had logged 108 key plays. In just six games and 110 snaps in ’19, he made 53 key plays.