The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t just lose on the scoreboard Sunday. They also lost key starters to injury. Speaking to reporters after the game, Mike Tomlin outlined several injuries suffered in the team’s 38-3 defeat. They are:
DT Larry Ogunjobi (back)
CB Cam Sutton (hamstring)
CB Levi Wallace (concussion)
TE Pat Freiermuth (concussion)
WR Steven Sims (eye)
Wallace and Freiermuth will go through the NFL’s updated concussion protocol and try to get cleared in time for next Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While any head injury is serious, Freiermuth took an especially hard hit, helmet-to-helmet contact, that appeared to knock Freiermuth out cold. This is now at least the third concussion he’s suffered the last two years.
Pittsburgh’s secondary was paper-thin and outmatched by Josh Allen and the Bills’ potent offense. By the end of the game, James Pierre and Josh Jackson served as the team’s starting cornerbacks, though Buffalo’s bloodbath began well before that point. Sutton came into the game with a groin/hamstring injury and appeared to re-aggravate that late in the first half.
Ogunjobi suffered the back injury early in the game and was replaced by DL Chris Wormley. If he can’t suit up next week, second-year DL Isaiahh Loudermilk may get a hat for the first time this season.
Sims missed the start of the game, forcing Pierre to function as the team’s kick returner. He fumbled the kick after Buffalo’s 98-yard TD pass to Gabe Davis, though Pittsburgh’s defense held and the Bills didn’t get points on the drive. Sims would come on to the field later in the game and returned one kick for 19 yards.
“Made things testy for him from a kick return and receiving perspective in terms of some blurry vision and stuff like that,” Tomlin said of Sims’ injury.
Tomlin also “did not dispute” the report of T.J. Watt’s knee surgery, but gave no updates on his potential return. CBS’ Tracy Wolfson reported the surgery took place nine days ago.
Pittsburgh will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next Sunday.
