The Pittsburgh Steelers are now less than 90 minutes away from kickoff in their Wild Card playoff game in Buffalo. While fans are stuck with a less-than-half cleared stadium, the filed conditions are clear but with cold and wind.

As is always the case, 90 minutes before kickoff is when teams must announce their inactive list for the upcoming game. With 48 players active for each team, the number of players on the inactive list depends on if a team makes any practice squad elevations. With the Steelers elevating two practice squad players yesterday and having 53 players on the roster, they have seven inactives as the Bills have seven players on their inactive list as well.

New to the 2023 season is a modified return of the “third quarterback rule.” Every NFL team who has a third quarterback on their 53-man roster will include him on their inactive list, but he is designated as a third quarterback and is therefore in uniform in case of injury to the two players ahead of him on the depth chart. But if one of the players is deemed healthy enough to return, the third quarterback goes back to their role on the sideline.The Steelers will once again be using this designation.

Here are the seven players inactive for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their Wild Card matchup against the Bills according to Steelers.com.

Steelers Inactives

No. 10 QB Mitch Trubisky (3rd QB)
No. 21 CB Darius Rush
No. 37 S Elijah Riley
No. 40 LB Blake Martinez
No. 60 T Dylan Cook
No. 90 LB T.J. Watt
No. 98 DE DeMarvin Leal

For the 2023 postseason, the Steelers have a quarterback inactive but with the third quarterback designation. With Mason Rudolph starting his fourth consecutive game and Kenny Pickett acting as the backup, Mitch Trubisky is on the inactive list but will be in uniform. Joining Trubisky on the list is the typical offensive lineman position as Dylan Cook has been on the list for all but two games this season.

There are two other players who have been inactive recently for the Steelers who were expected to be on the list. One is cornerback Darius Rush with the other being linebacker Blake Martinez. With the Steelers once again elevating safety Eric Rowe and linebacker Myles Jack from the practice squad, these two players are the choice to be inactive.

An unfortunate player who is new to the Steelers inactive list this season is All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt. Suffering a knee injury in Week 18, Watt was ruled out early in the week but could potentially return to the Steelers should they move on in the playoffs.

One position where the Steelers need a player inactive due to the numbers is the defensive line. Since the return of Montravuis Adams, the Steelers went with DeMarvin Leal or Isaiahh Loudermilk. For the Wild Card game, it’s DeMarvin Leal for the fourth-straight week.

With two safeties returning to the lineup in Minkah Fitzpatrick and Damontae Kazee, there was one spot left on the inactive list which was a bit of a mystery. Although a key special teams player, the Steelers didn’t have enough helmets to go around for safety Elijah Riley who is inactive for the Steelers playoff game. Playing significant snaps on special teams each game with the exception of four he missed while he was on the Reserve/Injured List, Riley is inactive for the first time this season.

As for the Bills inactive list, it can be seen below courtesy of Steelers.com. Both questionable players, linebacker Tyrel Dodson and cornerback Rasul Douglas, are inactive.

Bills Inactives

No. 13 WR Gabe Davis
No. 20 S Taylor Rapp
No. 25 LB Tyrel Dodson
No. 31 CB Rasul Douglas
No. 59 DE Kingsley Jonathan
No. 70 OL Alec Anderson
No. 98 DT Poona Ford