Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said that Darius Rush did “a good job” in his NFL debut. For the Steelers’ next game, though, Rush was not in uniform.
Rush was a healthy scratch for Sunday’s home game against the Green Bay Packers. Also inactive without injury for the Steelers were running back Godwin Igwebuike, offensive tackle Dylan Cook and defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko.
In Rush’s place in the Steelers’ secondary against the Packers was safety Trenton Thompson, who was elevated off the practice squad for the game and made his Steelers debut.
As expected, inside linebacker Tariq Carpenter was also a practice-squad elevation. The Steelers are thin at his position after the season-ending injury to Cole Holcomb.
Igwebuike had served as the Steelers’ kickoff returner for each of the three prior games, but with Anthony McFarland activated off of the injured reserve list this week he handled those duties again. McFarland was active Sunday for the first time since Week 1.
Signed Oct. 18 off the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad, Rush played 30 snaps during the Steelers’ Nov. 2 win against the Tennessee Titans.
The Steelers on Friday had announced that a pair or starters on defense – safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (hamstring) and defensive tackle Montravius Adams (ankle) – would not play against Green Bay.
As has been the case for every game this season, Mason Rudolph on Sunday was designated as the No. 3 “emergency” quarterback.
Green Bay was without two defensive starters on Sunday, too: inside linebacker Quay Walker (groin) and cornerback Jaire Alexander.
Outside linebacker Brenton Cox Jr., offensive tackle Caleb Jones and wide receiver Samori Toure were healthy scratches for the Packers.
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