The Pittsburgh Steelers put on a show on Sunday morning of Week 4 as the team was able to take down the Minnesota Vikings to improve to 3-1 on the 2025 season. This is a good record through roughly a quarter of the games, and the team currently sits in second place in the AFC, and first place in the AFC North (despite the fact that Pittsburgh has not played any in-division games yet). The Steelers took down the Vikings 24-21 as underdogs going into the matchup, and the group played its most complete game of the 2025 season.
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin stands on the field and watches his team practice during a 2025 training camp workout at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
The victory came with a cost, however. The Steelers suffered a pair of critical injuries between both sides of the ball during the game against Minnesota. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey went down with a hamstring injury, and wide receiver Calvin Austin III went down with a shoulder injury later on in the game. Both players are important to the success of the Steelers in 2025, and according to team insider Gerry Dulac, there is a possibility that each player is going to miss a game or two, even with Pittsburgh having its bye week in Week 5.
Steelers can use the bye: CB Jalen Ramsey (hamstring) and WR Calvin Austin III (shoulder) are expected to miss at least several games. Ramsey tried to return vs Vikings, but didn’t work out.
Ramsey tried to come back into the contest against the Vikings, but it was clear that his hamstring was bothering him. Austin was ruled out almost immediately with his shoulder problem, as he had to be put into an ambulance and taken to a local hospital for x-rays and other testing as Croke Park does not have x-ray machines.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers’ Calvin Austin III (19) sits with his teammates before kickoff in Week 4 of the 2025 season during a game in Dublin, Ireland.
There have been no further specifics provided about either injury for Pittsburgh, but the fact that the Steelers have their bye week in Week 5 is very beneficial. This allows both Ramsey and Austin to take a step towards regaining full health, but it also allows cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to return to the starting lineup after missing three games as well. This way, even if Ramsey does miss considerable time, Pittsburgh will still have another lockdown corner on the field.
It is hard to say exactly how much time either Ramsey or Austin should be expected to miss, especially with Austin as no details have been given about his injury. He did post to social media after the game stating that he was okay, which is a good sign.
Great Dub in Dublin! I’m all good Steelers Nation, appreciate the messages and concern!
Austin is Pittsburgh’s top wide receiver aside from DK Metcalf, and he is a player that could take the top off of the defense. He has already scored two crucial touchdowns for Pittsburgh during the 2025 season, and he is an important piece of the offense.
Steelers Could Be Without Jalen Ramsey For Considerable Time
Hamstring injuries are hard to predict and determine. There is a different severity to every hamstring tweak. Porter just missed his third game due to a hamstring issue, while other players in the past have only been out for a week or two. The Dallas Cowboys were without Dak Prescott for most of the 2024 season as he had to get season-ending surgery for his hamstring injury. The severity can fluctuate, but it sounds like Pittsburgh is confident that the bye week will allow Ramsey to take a step in the right direction.
