As the Pittsburgh Steelers gear up for a historic Week 4 showdown against the Minnesota Vikings in the vibrant heart of Dublin, Ireland, they’ll be missing a key piece of their defensive puzzle: star outside linebacker Alex Highsmith. The team dropped the bombshell on Thursday, confirming that Highsmith’s nagging high ankle sprain—picked up in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks—has sidelined him once again. He won’t make the transatlantic journey and is officially ruled out for Sunday’s international clash, marking his second straight absence after sitting out last week’s tilt with the New England Patriots.
Highsmith, the 28-year-old powerhouse, has been battling the injury bug lately, turning what should be his prime years into a frustrating game of recovery roulette. It all started with a groin tweak during early August training camp, but he bounced back just in time for the season opener. Flash back to 2024, and the story was similar: three games lost to a groin issue and another three to an ankle woe. Remarkably, this marks a shift for the resilient defender, who never missed a beat in his first four NFL seasons after Pittsburgh snagged him in the third round (102nd overall) of the 2020 draft.
Before the injury struck, Highsmith was already proving why he’s a nightmare for quarterbacks. In Week 1 against the New York Jets, he exploded for one sack and a whopping eight pressures over 57 defensive snaps, setting the tone for what promised to be a dominant campaign. But Week 2 against Seattle? A mere 10 snaps in, and he was hobbling off the field, his ankle betraying him at the worst possible moment.
Hailing from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he starred as a two-time first-team All-Conference USA pick and a third-team All-American in 2019, Highsmith has carved out a fearsome NFL legacy. His 2022 breakout was legendary—leading the league with five forced fumbles and pacing the Steelers with 14.5 sacks. That dominance earned him a lucrative four-year, $68 million extension in July 2023. Career-wise, he’s racked up impressive numbers: 63 tackles and those 14.5 sacks in 2022, seven sacks alongside 57 tackles in 2023, and six sacks with 45 tackles in 2024. When healthy, he’s the kind of edge rusher who can single-handedly disrupt an offense’s rhythm.
In Highsmith’s void, opportunity knocks for the Steelers’ depth chart, and no one’s answered louder than Nick Herbig. Stepping into the starting role, Herbig has been a revelation: seven pressures and a timely interception against the Seahawks, followed by a game-changing strip sack and eight more pressures versus New England. It’s the kind of production that keeps coordinators up at night—and gives Pittsburgh hope amid the setback.
Don’t count out the Steelers’ pass rush just yet, though. Even shorthanded, they terrorized the Patriots last week with five sacks, including a pair from the unstoppable T.J. Watt. Fresh off a massive three-year, $123 million extension signed before camp, Watt remains the heartbeat of this defense. Add in flashes from rookie sensation Jack Sawyer, and the unit’s still generating heat on opposing signal-callers, proving their resilience in the face of adversity.
Looking ahead, the Steelers are eyeing a return for Highsmith after their Week 5 bye, with fingers crossed for a Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. But timelines are fluid, and caution is key with ankle injuries. Until then, Pittsburgh’s outside linebacker corps will lean on its backups to bridge the gap, turning a potential weakness into a test of their vaunted depth.
As they jet off to Dublin, the Steelers’ defense holds steady in the league standings—fifth in yards allowed per game at 386.0 and 11th in points surrendered at 25.7. Yet, vulnerabilities linger, and this international stage could expose them further. For the Vikings, it’s a golden opportunity: facing a Steelers squad without one of its deadliest weapons. Will Minnesota capitalize, or will Pittsburgh’s grit steal the show across the pond? Sunday can’t come soon enough.