Steelers OLB Alex Highsmith Suffers Neck Injury

PITTSBURGH — Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith has suffered an injury against the New England Patriots. The injury occurred on a stretch run play by Ezekiel Elliott. Highsmith got caught in the wash and suffered a neck injury on the play. He would remain down for a significant amount of time before walking off the field and heading into the medical tent for evaluation. Highsmith is out for the rest of the game.

The Steelers already had one scare earlier in the game when T.J. Watt got hit in the head by Minkah Fitzpatrick and Elliott when they converged in the backfield on a tackle. He would head into the tent for evaluation but returned to the game afterward. With the surprise inactive of Markus Golden, that would mean that Kyron Johnson, and more notably, Nick Herbig, will have a more significant role if Highsmith can not return to the game. So far, the Patriots have dominated the game. They have been able to move the ball down the field, and the defense has stood up against a lethargic Steelers offense that has got nothing going throughout the game. With injuries like Highsmith’s popping up, that only makes the situation that Pittsburgh faces much worse in a must-win game to save their playoff hopes.

Following the evaluation in the blue medical tent, Alex Highsmith entered the locker room, meaning he is unlikely to return. Pittsburgh will have to play with the likely truth that he will not return to the game.