Steelers Are Wary About Darnell Washington’s Long-Term Health

Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette opined in a recent Q&A that the Pittsburgh Steelers were aware of tight end Darnell Washington having significant knee issues when coming out of Georgia.

“That’s why he fell to the third round, so I’m sure they knew,” he wrote. “One of those deals where you kind of figure you got him for four years and that’s it.”

Washington has had lower-body injuries in the past, including ankle and foot injuries. He had a broken foot in 2021, which required surgery. Then, he suffered an ankle injury in the national championship game, However, he has never had knee injuries, and it seems that the Steelers were plenty okay with any concerns that they had with his injury history when they picked him on the board.

Washington stated shortly after he was drafted last May that he did have a knee scope at one point for some cartilage flare-up, but outside of that, the tight end has no recollection of any knee injuries in his entire football career.

“You know, with my health, I feel great,” Washington said. “Some teams had concerns with knees because I’m taller and a bigger guy. They talked about some knee swelling. For me, I had no injury with my knees ever, knock on wood. I never tore anything in the knees. I had knee surgery on the right knee, but that was just cartilage that flared up, they went in and cleaned it.”

Washington showed up on the injury report with a knee issue several times in 2023, but didn’t miss any games.

Fittipaldo’s colleague Gerry Dulac also stated in a Q&A in January that the Steelers are worried about Washington’s long-term health.

“They were taking a chance, no doubt, because of injury concerns. They had their fingers crossed. Still do,” Dulac wrote.

Washington was an excellent run-blocker during his rookie season, but was limited in the passing game, recording just seven receptions for 61 yards.