Steelers HC Mike Tomlin provides Kenny Pickett injury update after ankle surgery
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced that quarterback Kenny Pickett underwent successful surgery on his ankle on Monday following his injury in the game against Arizona. Although the surgery was successful, the Steelers are still ruling Pickett out for Thursday Night Football against the New England Patriots.
Tomlin would not say how many games the QB might miss beyond the Week 14 matchup. Asked whether there was season-ending concern regarding the injury, the head coach said, “No.”
Pickett entered Sunday’s matchup with a pre-existing ankle issue and had to exit the game in the first half after being tackled near the goal line. He’s now expected to miss 2-4 weeks as he recovers, however, the team isn’t planning to put him on IR.
The starting QB was 8-for-11 for 75 yards prior to the injury on Sunday. Without him, the team turned to Mitch Trubisky. Trubisky’s effort, however, wasn’t enough to overcome the sudden offensive bursts from the Cardinals. The Steelers will now turn to the backup once again to take on the two-win Patriots.
The game against Arizona was the third time this season in place of an injured Pickett. He also came in during Week 8 of the season versus the Jacksonville Jaguars when the starter exited the game with a rib injury.
In that matchup, Trubisky completed 55.6% of his passes for 138 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions in a loss, and on Sunday he threw for 117 yards and a touchdown in a loss to the Cardinals. The Steelers have lost all three games Trubisky has appeared in this season. The Steelers and Cardinals had to wait out two weather delays that kept the game going well into the second quarter of the late window games.
Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick played through broken hand
Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick reportedly suffered a break in his left hand mid-game on Sunday but after receiving treatment and a cast, the veteran returned to finish the game, according to Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin. The defender returned to action this week after recovering from a hamstring injury that had him on the sidelines for the last four games.
The 27-year-old came into the game tied for second on the Steelers with 54 tackles (37 solo). He added five more tackles on Sunday in the 24-10 loss.
Cameras captured Fitzpatrick with the cast on his left hand as he traded jerseys with Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray after the game. It’s unclear how the injury will impact him for the rest of the season but if he could return and play on Sunday, it’s possible he can play through it for the final five games of the season.