As if a 30-7 loss isn’t bad enough, the Pittsburgh Steelers are carrying plenty of injuries into the week along the with the “L” they’re holding. Speaking to reporters after the game via the team’s YouTube channel, head coach Mike Tomlin ran through a number of injuries to key players.
They are:
DT Cam Heyward – Groin
DL DeMarvin Leal – Arm/Triceps
TE Pat Freiermuth – Chest
OT Chukwuma Okorafor – Concussion Protocol
WR Diontae Johnson – Hamstring
“Got some injuries to speak of,” Tomlin said via the team’s channel. “Cam, he’s got a groin. Leal’s got a tricep or arm injury being evaluated. Muth’s got a chest injury. Chuks went down later, probably in the concussion protocol. Don’t have a lot of information there. Diontae went down with a hamstring. We’ll assess those things, particularly as we plan and move into next week and get ready to answer for this.”
Heyward was injured early. Twice, he attempted to go back into the game but he was unable to finish and eventually ruled out. Leal was in and out of the lineup with the upper body injury, hurting the Steelers’ defensive line all the more. Freiermuth was in a similar situation, leaving and then returning with his chest injury after taking a hard end zone shot.
Okorafor was injured late in the game. The team shifted Dan Moore Jr. to right tackle, leading first-round rookie Broderick Jones to see his first snaps at left tackle. And Johnson injured his hamstring at the end of a 26-yard catch-and-run, leaving the game and not returning.
Pittsburgh will have to get ready for its Week Two matchup against the Cleveland Browns. They’ll have an extra day of rest with this game a Monday night home matchup. The Browns are coming off a big win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
