CINCINNATI — The ankle injury that Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Levi Wallace suffered in the team’s Week 1 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday is not believed to be a severe one.
Wallace left the game with an ankle injury in the third quarter. He was treated in the medical tent on the Pittsburgh sideline and had his ankle re-wrapped, but did not re-enter the game.
Head coach Mike Tomlin said after the game only that Wallace was being evaluated for an ankle injury. According to Jordan Schultz of The Score, initial testing results came back positive and the injury is not considered serious.
Source: #Steelers CB Levi Wallace’s ankle injury is also “not considered serious.” I’m told “initial tests yielded positive results” and the team will perform more tests tomorrow to make sure he’s okay.
Wallace did not return in the 2H after getting hurt. https://t.co/55FfAiHJlY
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 12, 2022
With Wallace out, the Steelers utilized Cam Sutton at exclusively at outside cornerback, proving more opportunities for Art Maulet and Tre Norwood in the slot.
At outside cornerback, James Pierre would be the next backup if the Steelers needed to use someone beyond Sutton and Ahkello Witherspoon, but he was not called on to do so on Monday. Josh Jackson and Mark Gilbert are on the practice squad.
A free agent signing from the Buffalo Bills this offseason, Wallace had been playing in his first career game with the Steelers. He had three tackles before his injury.
Wallace replaced Joe Haden in the Steelers defense after the veteran starter was not retained when his contract expired.
Wallace was just one of a number of potentially significant injuries for the Steelers in Week 1, including starting outside linebacker T.J. Watt (pec) and running back Najee Harris (foot) and rotational inside linebacker Robert Spillane (eye).
The Steelers seem to be getting better news on Monday morning, as there is hope that Watt’s pec muscle may not be fully torn and the team has not ruled out Harris from playing in Week 2 against the New England Patriots.