Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett was forced out of Sunday’s home game against the Arizona Cardinals after suffering an ankle injury during the second quarter.
Pickett was scrambling on a third-and-goal from the 3 with 5 minutes, 30 seconds remaining in the first half when he absorbed a hit and was stopped just short on a dive for the goal line. Pickett was tackled from behind by defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter while two other Cardinals converged on him.
Pickett was attended to by training personnel, appearing to favor his right ankle.
Kenny Pickett #herewego
Injured on this play here. Walked off on his own power pic.twitter.com/K1HG5OBw6L
— Tom Christ, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT (@FantasyInjuryT) December 3, 2023
ESPN reported Sunday night that Pickett is expected to be sidelined a couple of weeks with an ankle injury.
Pickett was replaced by Mitch Trubisky. On the ensuing fourth-down play, running back Najee Harris was stopped as the Arizona defense preserved what was then a 3-3 tie.
Mitch Trubisky is heading in for Kenny Pickett. pic.twitter.com/RaSkJ22NW2
— NFL on CBS ???? (@NFLonCBS) December 3, 2023
Pickett was on the injury report this week because an ankle injury, but he did not miss any practice time.
Sunday marks the third game this season that Pickett was forced to leave because of injury. Pickett also was knocked out of two games and missed another full game because of injury as a rookie in 2022.
Among 24 career starts, Pickett has not been able to finish a game five times because of injury. Last season, Pickett twice went into concussion protocol. During the Week 4 loss earlier this season, Pickett suffered a knee injury, and, three games later, he suffered a rib injury and did not return to a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
During three of the previous four occasions Pickett suffered an in-game injury, he returned to start for the Steelers the following week. The lone exception was a concussion suffered during a loss to the Baltimore Ravens during December of last year. Trubisky made the start the ensuing week and led a win against the Carolina Panthers.
The Steelers are on a short week, though, with their next game Thursday hosting the New England Patriots. Pickett made his start Nov. 2 against the Tennessee Titans after suffering the rib injury four days prior.
Two other Steelers starters were injured during the game and did not return. Elandon Roberts is out because of a groin injury, and guard Isaac Seumalo suffered a shoulder injury on the same play Pickett was injured.
Roberts left the game for a time but came back in before leaving it again and being ruled out.
Mark Robinson took Roberts’ place in the middle of the defense, and Nate Herbig came in at left guard for Seumalo.
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