The Pittsburgh Steelers signed center J.C. Hassenauer from their practice squad on Tuesday. As a member of Pittsburgh’s active roster, the former Alabama offensive lineman becomes eligible to make his NFL debut on Sunday when the Steelers play the Baltimore Ravens.

Hassenauer has been with Pittsburgh since Nov. 20, when he joined the Steelers’ practice squad.

After playing for the Birmingham Iron in the spring, Hassenauer originally signed with the Steelers in April when the Alliance of American Football folded. He spent the offseason program, training camp and preseason with Pittsburgh before being released when the NFL team reduced its 90-player preseason roster to the regular-season limit of 53.

Hassenauer played at Alabama from 2014 through 2017 and spent most of his college career as a reserve at center and guard. He started at right guard in his final game with the Crimson Tide -- Alabama's 26-23 overtime victory against Georgia in the CFP national championship game for the 2017 season.

Hassenauer signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2018, but he was let go when the team made the final cut to the regular-season limit. Hassenauer spent the first seven weeks of the 2018 season on Atlanta's practice squad.

The Steelers promoted Hassenauer with Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey's status for Sunday's game in question. Pouncey limped off the field in the third quarter of Pittsburgh's game against the New York Jets with a knee injury on Sunday.

Hassenauer filled the spot on the Steelers' active roster left vacant when Pittsburgh placed quarterback Mason Rudolph on injured reserve on Tuesday.

That means former Mortimer Jordan High School and Samford standout Devlin Hodges will stay in the lineup at quarterback for the Steelers’ regular-season finale.

An undrafted rookie, Hodges has started the past four games under center for Pittsburgh. But in Sunday’s 16-10 loss to the Jets, he was pulled in favor of Rudolph after throwing two interceptions during the Steelers’ first three possessions.

Rudolph sustained an injury to his non-throwing shoulder in the second half, putting Hodges back on the field to finish the game.

The loss to the Jets meant the Steelers lost control of their playoff fate. To reach the postseason now, Pittsburgh needs to win at Baltimore while the Tennessee Titans lose to the Houston Texans on Sunday, although according to the NFL, there are a couple of other ways that the Steelers could reach the postseason even if they lose to the Ravens.

If the Titans lose to the Texans, the Oakland Raiders lose to the Denver Broncos and the Indianapolis Colts defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, the Steelers will be the AFC's second wild-card team. Pittsburgh also could get there even if the Raiders win if the Tennessee and Indianapolis games go its way and the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings win on Sunday.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

More NFL coverage:

· Dallas Cowboys keep Amari Cooper on sideline for crucial play

· Za’Darius Smith, Packers bag NFC North crown

· Joe Namath, Bart Starr among QB finalists for NFL 100 All-Time Team

· Ravens hope to get Mark Ingram back for playoffs

· Tennessee Titans save Derrick Henry for must-win game

· State NFL roundup: ‘Stay tuned’ on Devlin Hodges

· Alabama NFL roundup: Kenyan Drake runs for career high again

· Auburn NFL roundup: Kerryon Johnson ‘good’ after comeback from knee injury

· Check out Kenyan Drake’s 80-yard touchdown run for Arizona Cardinals

· Julio Jones reaches receiving milestone at record rate

· Mark Ingram becomes third Alabama alumnus with 1,000 rushing yards in 2019

· Check out Hale Hentges’ first NFL touchdown reception

· Saturday NFL roundup: 2 division-title clinchers, 1 final-play victory in 3 games

· Texans’ Angelo Blackson goes back-to-back on field-goal blocks