Pittsburgh Steelers star defensive lineman Cam Heyward is the latest player to get injured at training camp. He left practice on Thursday with a left foot/ankle injury according to several Steelers reporters, including Ray Fittipaldo and Brian Batko.
Cam Heyward now being driven off to the locker room after getting injured early in practice.
— Ray Fittipaldo (@rayfitt1) August 18, 2022
Cam Heyward got his left ankle/foot taped and is elevating it on the sideline. But also saw him walking around a bit, so, hopefully a minor thing.
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) August 18, 2022
The fact he was walking around afterwards gives some hope, but it's certainly not a good sign. As aforementioned, it's been an injury-ridden training camp for the black and gold. The defense was finally returning to full health this week at practice, as Larry Ogunjobi and others continued to get their feet under them.
UPDATE: Heyward has returned to the sidelines and appears to be okay.
Cam Heyward is back on the field, walking along the sideline with no visible wrapping/ice on his ankle/lower leg pic.twitter.com/zeq9lJH7eb
— Jenna Harner (@JennaHarner11) August 18, 2022
Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
The status on Heyward may not be known until after this weekend's second preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, as head coach Mike Tomlin is not doing media on Thursday. Additionally, it was the last day of training camp. In essence, we may have to wait a few days to learn the verdict and severity of Heyward's foot injury.
Heyward was unlikely to play in Saturday's second preseason game anyways, so if the injury is minor, he should be ready by the regular season opener. His loss would be detrimental to a defensive line that struggled mightily at times last season. The team had its worst run defense in years and as a result, they're looking to turn things around in 2022.
Just how catastrophic would this loss be to the defense? For now, it's best to be optimistic before it's officially announced. Let us know your thoughts on our social media site, and in the comment section below.
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