In a close-fought TNF clash, the Pittsburgh Steelers came out with the win over the Tennessee Titans with a score of 20-16. The win, however, was bittersweet as the Steelers’ linebacker, Cole Holcomb, endured a severe left knee injury, sidelining him for the remainder of the season.
The unfortunate incident occurred when Holcomb was in pursuit of Titans’ DeAndre Hopkins after a reception. In a moment of intense play, Steelers’ safety Keanu Neal also aimed to tackle Hopkins, resulting in a collision that entangled Neal’s leg with Holcomb’s, leading to the latter’s injury. The incident was so distressing that Amazon Prime’s live broadcast made the decision not to show the replay.
The aftermath of the injury was immediate and concerning, with Holcomb requiring assistance off the field and straight to the hospital for overnight observation. He was released the following morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported. The linebacker is not expected to return to the gridiron this year, although he is anticipated to make a complete recovery.
The Steelers perservered and got the win
With Holcomb out of the picture, Kwon Alexander stepped onto the field, making a pivotal impact with an interception during the Titans’ final drive. The sentiment among the team was captured by Alexander, who said to ESPN, “We’re praying for Cole. We going to play for him. We’re going to play for him for the rest of the season.”
The severity of Holcomb’s injury was shown by Steelers‘ head coach Mike Tomlin in post-game remarks, though he stopped short of detailing the specifics of the injury.
Holcomb‘s journey to the NFL has been marked by determination. After beginning as a walk-on at North Carolina and emerging as a standout outside linebacker, he was picked by the Washington Commanders in the 2019 NFL Draft. His tenure with the Commanders concluded after four seasons, leading him to sign a lucrative three-year, $18 million contract with the Steelers in his free agency year. His contributions to the Steelers‘ defense have been significant, with 54 tackles, two forced fumbles, and a host of other defensive stats to his credit this season.
While the Steelers navigate the remainder of the season without Holcomb‘s presence on the field, his spirit and contributions will undoubtedly continue to inspire the team as they look to convert the adversity into a rallying point for the rest of the year.
