Veteran Patrick Peterson has often called himself a team-first player. He conveyed that again on December 19 with a message to the Pittsburgh Steelers as the team is dealing with multiple injuries and a suspension at safety.

Peterson signaled to the Steelers that he’s willing to help at safety to fill the hole in the back end of Pittsburgh’s defense.

“I’m a guy that’s always willing to learn and do whatever is possible to help the team win,” Peterson told reporters, via Steelers Now’s Alan Saunders.

The Steelers will be without at least their top 3 safeties in Week 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Depth safety Trenton Thompson is also dealing with an injury.

That leaves the Steelers with few options, one of which includes moving Peterson to safety on a permanent basis, at least for one week.

Steelers Will Miss Safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee, Keanu Neal in Week 16
If Thompson can’t play, then the Steelers will be dangerously thin at safety for the must-win matchup against the Bengals.

Fitzpatrick and Thompson both suffered injuries against the Indianapolis Colts on December 16. Thompson was able to return and finish the game, but he’s dealing with a stinger this week.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin already ruled out Fitzpatrick for Week 16 because of knee injury.

The Steelers also lost safety Damontae Kazee to an ejection against the Colts. Then on December 18, the NFL suspended him for the remainder of the 2023 regular season.

The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly reported that Kazee is appealing the suspension, but even with a successful appeal, the expectation is he will still miss Week 16.

Veteran safety Keanu Neal is also still on injured reserve because of a ribs issue.

Patrick Peterson Vows to Help Steelers at Safety
If there’s any good news for the Steelers injury issues at safety, defensive back Elijah Riley returned to practice on December 19. The Steelers have 21 days to active him to the 53-man roster, or he will remain on injured reserve for the rest of the season.

Peterson added encouragement to Pittsburgh’s safety situation, telling reporters that the team expects Thompson to play against Cincinnati.

Even still, Saunders reported that Peterson and practice squad defensive back Eric Rowe were the team’s starting safeties with the No. 1 defense at the team’s December 19 practice.

Peterson is ready if needed.

“I said last week postgame that coach Grady [Brown] and coach Tomlin did a great job of putting me in position throughout OTAs, minicamp, training camp so that if this opportunity did present itself, I wouldn’t be running around like a chicken with my head cut off,” Peterson told reporters, via Saunders. “I feel pretty comfortable.

“Just the more reps I get, the more comfortable that I get.”

In some ways, Peterson expected, even wanted, the potential transition to safety.

Peterson is a three-time first-team All-Pro cornerback. He’s also made eight Pro Bowls. But at 33 years old, Peterson isn’t the same player he once was.

A lot of smart former dominant cornerbacks switch to safety. Peterson explained that he is willing to make the position change in order to stay in the NFL longer.

“The older that I did get, if I wanted to play this game for much longer than I planned on playing, I did feel that move was going to be necessary,” Peterson said. “I feel like it’s a great move for me at this state of my career.”