Steelers activate TE Vance McDonald, add Pine-Richland's Kevin Rader from practice squad
Down to one healthy tight end entering the week, the Pittsburgh Steelers will have three available Thursday night when they play the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field.
On Tuesday, the Steelers activated veteran Vance McDonald from the reserve/covid-19 list and signed Pine-Richland graduate Kevin Rader from the practice squad. Rader was promoted when second-year tight end Zach Gentry was placed on injured reserve with what coach Mike Tomlin has called a “significant” knee injury.
The Steelers also added a second former WPIAL player to the fold when they signed Chartiers Valley’s Christian Kuntz to the practice squad as a linebacker/long snapper. Kuntz played linebacker at Duquesne.
When Gentry was injured early in the first quarter Sunday in the Steelers’ 27-3 victory at Jacksonville, starter Eric Ebron was the only healthy tight end for the rest of the game.
McDonald was placed on the reserve/covid-19 list Nov. 9, the day after the Steelers played at the Dallas Cowboys. McDonald had missed a practice earlier that week because of illness.
McDonald was scheduled to practice Tuesday.
“He has more energy than the rest of us now,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said before the Steelers were scheduled to hit the practice field. “That’s good to see.”
While McDonald was activated Tuesday, rookie guard Kevin Dotson remains on the reserve/covid-19 list. He was placed on the list Nov. 14 and has missed the required 10 days of activities before he can be activated.
Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.
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