Steelers place Haden on COVID-19 List taken on the South Side (Steelers)

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Joe Haden

The Steelers got good news early Wednesday regarding their players on the Reserve/COVID-19 List as all of the players who had been on their 53-man roster were activated and available for practice.

Then, after practice, cornerback Joe Haden was placed on the list. Defensive coordinator Keith Butler also tested positive, meaning he is unavailable to the team as well as the Steelers (8-7-1) prepare for their regular season finale against the Ravens (8-8) in Baltimore Sunday.

Haden could still make it back for the Steelers' finale, but would need to clear the NFL's new COVID-19 protocols in time to do so. If not, he might have played his final game for the Steelers. Haden, 32, is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Haden spoke about that last week.

"For me, as a professional, you've got to go out there and ball regardless. Your tape is your resume. It makes these games a little more important at the end of the season," Haden said regarding his future.

"I try to stay like Coach (Mike) T(omlin) says, he says stay singularly focused. Thinking that we're not mathematically eliminated (from the playoffs), we still kind of control our destiny. What we can do is still win these last two games and then hopefully we can get into the playoffs. That's my biggest goal just trying to end it the right way. Trying to go out the season finishing strong. But then knowing that at the end of the day I will be a free agent after this year. So, I am thinking about it."

Haden has missed five games this season because of groin and foot injuries, but has posted 34 tackles and six pass defenses. His fourth-down tackle at the sticks against Tennessee's Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in the closing moments against the Titans sealed that win for the Steelers last month at Heinz Field.

If he is unable to return, Ahkello Witherspoon would step into a starting role Sunday against the Ravens. Witherspoon leads the Steelers with three interceptions, despite appearing in just eight games with two starts this season.

Witherspoon didn't play much early in the season because he's not an accomplished special teams player. But he's shown his value of late.

"He really had to wait until we had an injury to a core defender before we were able to work him into the fold," Tomlin said of Witherspoon, who was acquired via trade from the Seahawks at the end of the preseason for a 2023 fifth-round draft pick.

"I think Joe Haden missing a block of games was the thing that really gave him an opportunity to display and show his value in what he can bring to us."

If Butler doesn't make it back in time to travel with the Steelers to Baltimore, Tomlin, who already has a large hand in calling defensive plays, could handle those duties exclusively or pass some of them off to one of his defensive assistants with defensive backs coach Teryl Austin being the most likely candidate. Austin was a longtime defensive coordinator for the Lions and Bengals before joining the Steelers.

Even with Haden going on the Reserve/COVID-19 List, the Steelers are in better shape in that regard than they have been in weeks. Wednesday, linebackers Joe Schobert and Devin Bush, offensive tackle Zach Banner, running back Anthony McFarland and defensive end Chris Wormley all were activated. All missed the team's 26-14 win over the Browns Monday night, while Bush and McFarland and Banner all missed the past two games.

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