Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers have placed strong safety and special teams ace Miles Killebrew (knee) on the injured reserve list, the team announced on Thursday. He’ll have to miss at least four games. No corresponding transaction was announced.
On Monday Seelers head coach Mike Tomlin ruled out Killebrew for Thursday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Tomlin said after Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns that Killebrew suffered a significant knee injury.
“We got some bumps and bruises associated with play. The only one that’s worth mentioning of any significance is Miles Killebrew. He’s got a significant knee injury,” ” Tomlin said after the game. “I’ll have more updates I’m sure in the not so distant future about the details of that.”
Killebrew exited Sunday’s matchup with the Browns with a right knee injury. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game as his team led 9-0 in the second quarter.
Killebrew, a team captain, was helped off the field and couldn’t put much weight on his right leg. He was ushered into the blue medical tent on the sideline. He was carted to the locker room afterward.
The Detroit Lions drafted Killebrew in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent five seasons with them before joining the Steelers ahead of the 2021 campaign. Since then, he’s made 60 combined tackles. He was a first-team Associated Press All-Pro in 2023.
Killebrew is also part of a safety room that includes DeShon Elliott, Chuck Clark, Juan Thornhill and Jabrill Peppers. The Steelers signed Killebrew to a two-year extension in March 2024.
“He’s our captain,” Tomlin said on losing Killebrew. “You know motto we live by. We can hurt for him as man, teammate and individual. But one’s man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity.”
When asked if the playing surface was a factor in Killebrew’s injury, Tomlin said, “I have no idea.”
Steelers defensive captain Cam Heyward was more blunt. He believes that the significant knee injury suffered by Killebrew on Sunday was caused by the poor turf conditions at Acrisure Stadium.
“Honestly, it was shit,” Heyward said on Tuesday. “I lost one of my teammates and that makes me sad about it.”
The brutal field conditions at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday caused an uproar among Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns players. Players from both teams expressed “outrage” and concerns to the NFL Players Association about the “embarrassing” playing surface, a union source told ESPN.
“The NFLPA has conveyed its concern to the NFL and will work to ensure that players are not put in that position going forward,” the source told ESPN on Wednesday.
League spokesman Brian McCarthy said Wednesday that the NFL has “been in touch with both the union and the club, which has taken steps to replace the grass surface.”
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Place Team Captain on IR
