PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium on Friday in their third preseason game, offering marginal players a final chance to secure roster spots before the NFL's cutdown deadline. Starters were expected to see limited action.

Both teams used the exhibition primarily to evaluate depth players, rookies and special-teams contributors. Head coach Mike Tomlin indicated during the week that Pittsburgh would rest most established starters, while Jets head coach Aaron Glenn planned a similar approach.

NFL clubs must trim rosters to 53 players by the league-mandated deadline following the preseason. Coaching staffs on both sidelines used the game to make final decisions on quarterback depth, offensive-line rotations and return specialists.

For Pittsburgh, the game provided a further look at its quarterback room and reshaped receiving corps ahead of the regular season. The Jets, continuing a rebuild under their second-year regime, prioritized assessing young defensive backs and interior linemen competing for the last available spots.

The result carried little competitive weight, but individual performances shaped how each front office finalized its roster. Both coaching staffs said the Friday evaluations would directly inform their coming roster cuts.