After the Pittsburgh Steelers initially looked pretty banged up post-Week 1, head coach Mike Tomlin provided an update on the injuries in his press conference on Tuesday. Outside linebacker TJ Watt was ruled out for this Sunday's Week 2 game against the New England Patriots, but that was the extent of it. In other words, the other guys that were injured this past weekend all have a chance to play.
Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
Najee Harris exited the game with a foot injury, which many thought may have been a re-aggravation of his Lisfranc injury suffered in training camp. Tomlin clarified that it was a separate injury that he suffered, but it seems as if the star running back has a chance to play in Pittsburgh this weekend. In fact, in an appearance on Mad Dog Sports Radio with Adam Schein on Tuesday morning, Harris said he'll be ready to go. While that doesn't fully mean he'll suit up, that is a huge step in the right direction.
Cornerback Levi Wallace was another Steeler that got banged up, as he exited with an ankle injury. His injury forced Cam Sutton back to the outside, with Arthur Maulet getting snaps on the inside as a result. While Maulet played pretty well in his 60 defensive snaps, the team's cornerback depth is pretty slim. Thankfully though, Tomlin seemingly included Wallace's injury as minor. That should bode well for his prospects of playing this weekend. Robert Spillane and Cam Heyward were two others that Tomlin clarified as having minor injuries in his press conference, so those two should be available as well.
Center Mason Cole was down on the field for a few minutes, but he eventually returned to the game. He's been the team's most consistent lineman throughout training camp and the preseason, so his loss would have been huge. JC Hassenauer stepped in while Cole was getting checked out on the sidelines, but he ended up playing just four snaps. Tomlin said he expects Cole to play against the Patriots, but he will likely be limited and held back during practice this week.
Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
What are your expectations for this weekend against Bill Belichick and the Patriots? Should the Steelers be favored at home in their first game at Acrisure Stadium? Share your optimism on the latest injury updates in the comment section below, as well as on our social media!
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