Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb suffered a season-ending knee injury during their Thursday night win against the Tennessee Titans, according to an ESPN source. Holcomb had to be carted off the field in the first half but was released from the hospital on Friday morning following an overnight stay for precautionary measures. Fortunately, ESPN’s source indicates that Holcomb is expected to make a full recovery.
Holcomb’s unfortunate injury occurred while covering Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. After Hopkins made a catch, safety Keanu Neal unintentionally struck Holcomb’s knee during a tackle follow-through. Holcomb immediately clutched his left knee in pain, leading to the appearance of a cart on the field, with his teammates providing support as medical staff attended to the injury. Reflecting on the incident, cornerback Patrick Peterson said, “It was a tough moment, but I could see he was in significant pain when the injury occurred. I was right there beside him. My only hope and prayer for Cole is a speedy and complete recovery.”
Holcomb played a significant role in the Steelers’ 2023 free agency class and their revamped inside linebacker position, participating in 77% of defensive snaps in eight games this season. With Holcomb sidelined, Elandon Roberts and Kwon Alexander saw a substantial increase in playing time, and Alexander’s game-saving interception in the final minutes secured the victory. “We’re all rallying behind Cole,” Alexander declared after the game. “We’re going to play in his honor for the rest of the season.”
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