Steelers Gameday Steelers Injury Updates
Steelers Lose 3 Players in Loss vs. Eagles
PHILADELPHIA — The Pittsburgh Steelers lost three players to injuries in Sunday’s 27-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles — outside linebacker T.J. Watt (left ankle), cornerback Donte Jackson (back) and quarterback Justin Fields (abdomen). All three did not return after sustaining their injuries.
“From a health standpoint, Justin Fields had an abdominal injury. Don’t know the extent of that. On that slide he injured his abdominal,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said after the game. “Donte Jackson had a back injury, wasn’t able to return. T.J. had an ankle, I think that can be described as a low ankle at this juncture.”
Fields sustained an abdomen injury in the second quarter of Sunday’s game. He was initially questionable to return before being downgraded to out.
Watt confirmed after Sunday’s loss that the X-rays came back negative on his left ankle injury.
“Just an ankle roll, Watt said after the game. “The X-rays were negative.”
Watt sustained the injury in the fourth quarter during a pass rush. Watt was down on the field for a while before walking off gingerly with the team’s medical staff.
Watt went into the blue medical tent and then sat on the bench for a few minutes, as the team’s medical staff was looking at his left ankle. He then walked off into the locker room for further evaluation.
Watt had seven tackles (five solos), two sacks, two quarterback hits, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble before leaving in the fourth quarter. He now has 11.5 sacks on the season and a league-best six forced fumbles.
Fields got hurt on his sole play of the game, which was a designed run for eight yards. Fields took a big shot from Eagles free safety Reed Blankenship as he was sliding. Blankership was called for unnecessary roughness.
The Steelers capitalized off the penalty, as Russell Wilson marched the offense down the field and capped the drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Pat Freiermuth to cut the Eagles’ lead 17-10.
Jackson suffered a back injury in the second quarter. He was down on the field for a while before gingerly walking off with the team’s medical staff. He then went into the blue medical tend for further evaluation. V
eteran corner James Pierre replaced Jackson.
With Jackson out, Hurts completed a 2-yard touchdown pass to DaVonta Smith to enhance the Eagles’ lead to 17-3. Pierre was in coverage on the play. Jackson wasn’t all that impressive before exiting the game, as he missed two tackles and gave up a touchdown to A.J. Brown.
Jackson exited last Sunday’s game against Cleveland with a back injury. He had a patch on his back after the game, so it appears the injury flared up again against the Eagles.
The most important defeat for the Steelers may not have happened on the scoreboard or scoresheet, but in the training room. The team, already playing without starters George Pickens, Larry Ogunjobi and DeShon Elliott, lost Donte Jackson, Justin Fields and T.J. Watt to in-game ailments.
That could put six starters on the shelf for next Saturday’s potential AFC North clincher against the Baltimore Ravens.